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Hectic vs Tough - What's the difference?

hectic | tough |

As adjectives the difference between hectic and tough

is that hectic is pertaining to bodily reactions characterised by flushed or dry skin while tough is strong and resilient; sturdy.

As nouns the difference between hectic and tough

is that hectic is (obsolete) a hectic fever while tough is a person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.

As an interjection tough is

(slang) (used to indicate lack of sympathy).

As a verb tough is

to endure.

hectic

English

Alternative forms

* hectick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to bodily reactions characterised by flushed or dry skin.
    • hectic''' fever; a '''hectic patient
  • Very busy with activity and confusion; feverish.
    • The city center is so hectic at 8 in the morning that I go to work an hour beforehand to avoid the crowds

    Synonyms

    * feverish

    Derived terms

    * hectically

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A hectic fever.
  • (obsolete) A flush like one produced by such a fever.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.147:
    • For still he lay, and on his thin worn cheek / A purple hectic played like dying day / On the snow-tops of distant hills [...].

    External links

    * *

    tough

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Strong and resilient; sturdy.
    • The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
  • (of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
    • To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
  • Rugged or physically hardy.
    • Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
  • Stubborn.
    • He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
  • (of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
  • Rowdy or rough.
    • A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
  • Difficult or demanding.
    • This is a tough crowd.
  • (material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.

    • Derived terms

    * do it tough * hang tough * supertough * tough call * tough case * tough cookie * tough crowd * tough love * tough luck * tough-minded * tough nut to crack * tough row to hoe * tough shit * tough titty * tough toodles * tough tuchus * toughen * toughie * toughish * toughly * toughness * toughy * ultratough *

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (slang) (Used to indicate lack of sympathy)
    • If you don't like it, tough !

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
    • They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To endure.
  • To toughen.

    • Derived terms

    * tough it out * tough out

    Anagrams

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