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Tough vs Fortitude - What's the difference?

tough | fortitude |

As nouns the difference between tough and fortitude

is that tough is a person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully while fortitude is mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.

As an adjective tough

is strong and resilient; sturdy.

As an interjection tough

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

As a verb tough

is to endure.

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

    * ----

    fortitude

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity.
  • * 1612 , , King Henry VIII , act 3, sc. 2:
  • . . . I am able now, methinks,
    Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,
    To endure more miseries.
  • * , ch. 1:
  • I shall soon have need for all my fortitude , as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.
  • * 1906 , , The Mirror of the Sea , ch. 21:
  • She may be saved by your efforts, by your resource and fortitude bearing up against the heavy weight of guilt and failure.
  • * 2012 Jan. 30, , " The Strategist," Time :
  • Mitt Romney . . . charges that Obama is an appeaser who apologizes for America, lacks fortitude and is "tentative, indecisive, timid and nuanced."
  • (archaic) Physical strength.
  • * 1604 , , Othello , act 1, sc. 3:
  • DUKE OF VENICE: The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for
    Cyprus. Othello, the fortitude of the place is best
    known to you.

    Synonyms

    * (mental or emotional strength) inner strength, moxie, resolve