tough

adjective

• 1(of a substance or object) strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough or careless handling:tough backpacks for climbers
• (of a person or animal) able to endure hardship or pain; physically robust:even at this ripe old age, he’s still as tough as old boots
• able to protect one’s own interests or maintain one’s own opinions without being intimidated by opposition; confident and determined:she’s both sensitive and tough
• demonstrating a strict and uncompromising attitude or approach:police have been getting tough with drivers tough new laws on tobacco advertising
• (of a person) strong and prone to violence:tough young teenagers
• (of an area) notorious for violence and crime.
• (of food, especially meat) difficult to cut or chew.

• 2involving considerable difficulty or hardship; requiring great determination or effort:the training has been quite tough he had a tough time getting into a good college
• used to express sympathy with someone in an unpleasant or difficult situation:Poor kid. It’s tough on her
• [often as exclamation] used to express a lack of sympathy with someone:I feel the way I feel, and if you don’t like it, tough

noun

• a tough person, especially a gangster or criminal:young toughs sporting their state-of-the-art firearms

verb

• endure a period of hardship or difficulty.