Knotty vs Tough - What's the difference?
knotty | tough | Synonyms |
Full of knots.
Complicated or tricky; complex; difficult.
Strong and resilient; sturdy.
(of food) Difficult to cut or chew.
Rugged or physically hardy.
Stubborn.
(of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
Rowdy or rough.
Difficult or demanding.
(material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.
(slang) (Used to indicate lack of sympathy)
A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
As adjectives the difference between knotty and tough
is that knotty is full of knots while tough is strong and resilient; sturdy.As an interjection tough is
Used to indicate lack of sympathyAs a noun tough is
a person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.As a verb tough is
to endure.knotty
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- knotty pine
- a knotty problem
tough
English
Adjective
(er)- The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.
- To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.
- Only a tough species will survive in the desert.
- He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.
- A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.
- This is a tough crowd.
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)- If you don't like it, tough !
Noun
(en noun)- They were doing fine until they encountered a bunch of toughs from the opposition.
