Tra từ tough - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

tough [tough toughs] adjective, noun, verb BrE [tʌf] NAmE [tʌf]
adjective (tough·er, tough·est)

DIFFICULT
1. having or causing problems or difficulties
•a tough childhood
• It was a tough decision to make.
• She's been having a tough time of it (= a lot of problems) lately.
•He faces the toughest test of his leadership so far.
•It can be tough trying to juggle a career and a family.

STRICT/FIRM
2. demanding that particular rules be obeyed and showing a lack of sympathy for any problems or suffering that this may cause
•~ (on sb/sth) Don't be too tough on him— he was only trying to help.
•~ (with sb/sth) It's about time teachers started to get tough with bullies.
•The school takes a tough line on (= punishes severely) cheating.
•Local traders are calling for tougher action against vandals.
Opp: ↑soft

STRONG
3. strong enough to deal successfully with difficult conditions or situations
•a tough breed of cattle
• He's not tough enough for a career in sales.
•She's a tough cookie/customer (= sb who knows what they want and is not easily influenced by other people).
4. (of a person)physically strong and likely to be violent
• You think you're so tough, don't you?
• He plays the tough guy in the movie.

MEAT
5. difficult to cut or chew
Opp: ↑tender

NOT EASILY DAMAGED
6. not easily cut, broken, torn, etc
•a tough pair of shoes
•The reptile's skin is tough and scaly.

UNFORTUNATE
7. ~ (on sb) (informal)unfortunate for sb in a way that seems unfair
•It was tough on her being dropped from the team like that.
• (ironic)‘I can't get it finished in time.’ ‘Tough! (= I don't feel sorry about it.) ’
more at a hard/tough act to follow at ↑act _n., when the going gets tough (the tough get going) at ↑going _n., hang tough at ↑hang _v., a hard/tough nuta hard/tough nut (to crack) at ↑nut _n., talk tough at ↑talk _v.

Word Origin:
Old English tōh, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch taai and German zäh.

Example Bank:
•Has the government been tough enough on polluters?
•He may find it tough to pursue his plans.
•It's very tough on the wives when the husbands go off like that.
•It's very tough on the wives when the husbands leave.
•The government has promised to get tough on crime.
•The meat was a bit tough.
•The strong dollar has made it tough for small businesses.
•Then this guy started acting tough.
•Things were pretty tough at first.
•You have to be tough with these young thugs.
•Don't be too tough on him— he was only trying to help.
•He had a tough childhood.
•It's about time teachers started to get tough with bullies.
•It's tough out there in the real world.
•She's been having a tough time of it.
•The next couple of months will be tough, but I'm sure we'll cope.
•The school takes a tough line on cheating.
•There will be tough new controls on car emissions.
•We must take a tough stance against terrorism.
Idioms: ↑tough as nails ▪ ↑tough as old boots ▪ ↑tough luck
Derived Words: ↑toughly ▪ ↑toughness
Derived: ↑tough something out

noun (old-fashioned, informal)
a person who regularly uses violence against other people

Word Origin:
Old English tōh, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch taai and German zäh.

verb
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Old English tōh, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch taai and German zäh.