What's the difference between strong and tough?

Strong


Definition:

  • (superl.) Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous.
  • (superl.) Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health.
  • (superl.) Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town.
  • (superl.) Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea.
  • (superl.) Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants.
  • (superl.) Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong.
  • (superl.) Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide.
  • (superl.) Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language.
  • (superl.) Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory.
  • (superl.) Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee.
  • (superl.) Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors.
  • (superl.) Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent.
  • (superl.) Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat.
  • (superl.) Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief.
  • (superl.) Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent.
  • (superl.) Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination.
  • (superl.) Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful.
  • (superl.) Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a strong market.
  • (superl.) Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak.
  • (superl.) Applied to forms in Anglo-Saxon, etc., which retain the old declensional endings. In the Teutonic languages the vowel stems have held the original endings most firmly, and are called strong; the stems in -n are called weak other constant stems conform, or are irregular.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) For some time now, public opinion polls have revealed Americans' strong preference to live in comparatively small cities, towns, and rural areas rather than in large cities.
  • (2) Perinatal mortality is strongly associated with obstetrical factors, respiratory distress syndrome, and prematurity.
  • (3) We conclude that the SHBG concentration strongly affects this estimation.
  • (4) When the data correlating DHT with protein synthesis using both labelling techniques were combined, the curves were parallel and a strong correlation was noted between DHT and protein synthesis over a wide range of values (P less than 0.001).
  • (5) A strong block to the elongation of nascent RNA transcripts by RNA polymerase II occurs in the 5' part of the mammalian c-fos proto-oncogene.
  • (6) Importantly, these characteristics were strong predictors of subsequent mortality.
  • (7) These clones, designated as TcHMC-2, showed strong cytotoxicity against both HMC-2 and K562 cells.
  • (8) Results demonstrate that the development of biliary strictures is strongly associated with the duration of cold ischemic storage of allografts in both Euro-Collins solution and University of Wisconsin solution.
  • (9) "There is … a risk that the political, trade, and gas frictions with Russia could lead to strong deterioration in economic relations between the two countries, with a significant drop in Ukraine's exports to and imports from Russia.
  • (10) Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated previous LBP or back pain in another location of the spine were strongly associated with LBP during the study year.
  • (11) Environment groups Environment groups that have strongly backed low-carbon power have barely wavered in their opposition to nuclear in the last decade, although their arguments now are now much about the cost than the danger it might pose.
  • (12) Although the productions of deoxycortisol and androstenedione from 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone were strongly inhibited by progesterone, androstenedione formation from progesterone was not inhibited by a high concentration of progesterone.
  • (13) Simple cells that are nearly equally dominated by each eye always exhibit strong phase-specific interaction.
  • (14) The activity is strongly inhibited by SH-blocking reagents (e.g.
  • (15) Nice (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) has also published new guidance on good patient experience that provides a strong framework on which to build good engagement practice.
  • (16) In 0.17 M Na+(aq), tRNA(Phe) exists in its native conformation and the number of strong binding sites (Ka greater than or equal to 10(4)) was estimated to be 3-4 by titration experiments, in agreement with X-ray structural data for crystalline tRNA(Phe) (Jack et al., 1977).
  • (17) The remaining 33 sera (13.3 per cent) were classified as low, moderate or strong positives.
  • (18) This study provides strong and unexpected evidence that one admission to hospital of more than a week's duration or repeated admissions before the age of five years (in particular between six months and four years) are associated with an increased risk of behaviour disturbance and poor reading in adolescence.
  • (19) The accumulated evidence would strongly favor an affirmative answer.
  • (20) Incubation of membrane with DL-Hcys alone (5 X 10(-5) M), the combination of both Ad (5 X 10(-5)) and DL-Hcys (5 X 10(-5)), or S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) (1 X 10(-6)) strongly decreased the methyl ester formation.

Tough


Definition:

  • (superl.) Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough.
  • (superl.) Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews.
  • (superl.) Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.
  • (superl.) Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow.
  • (superl.) Severe; violent; as, a tough storm.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Photograph: Guardian The research also compiled data covered by a wider definition of tax haven, including onshore jurisdictions such as the US state of Delaware – accused by the Cayman islands of playing "faster and looser" even than offshore jurisdictions – and the Republic of Ireland, which has come under sustained pressure from other EU states to reform its own low-tax, light-tough, regulatory environment.
  • (2) Nick Robins, head of the Climate Change Centre at HSBC, said: "If you think about low-carbon energy only in terms of carbon, then things look tough [in terms of not using coal].
  • (3) A series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed the effects of Surgency, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Intellect on evoking upset in spouses through condescension (e.g., treating spouse as stupid or inferior), possessiveness (demanding too much time and attention), abuse (slapping spouse), unfaithfulness (having sex with others), inconsiderateness (leaving toilet seat up), moodiness (crying a lot), alcohol abuse (drinking too much alcohol), emotional constriction (hiding emotions to act tough), and self-centeredness (acting selfishly).
  • (4) A lfred Ekpenyong knows first hand how tough it can be to find a secure foothold in mainstream society after leaving prison.
  • (5) The texture of a food item can be distinguished in hardness, toughness, stickiness, juiciness and chewability.
  • (6) Even as the Obama administration moves to deal with some of Guantánamo's most notorious captives, it faces tough challenges to closing the facility.
  • (7) "It's a tough group but other groups are also tough.
  • (8) This allowed it to claim that it was becoming more professional, tough minded and responsible.
  • (9) The austerity programmes administered by western governments in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis were, of course, intended as a remedy, a tough but necessary course of treatment to relieve the symptoms of debts and deficits and to cure recession.
  • (10) And he pleased the audience with an acknowledgement that social work is a tough job and social workers only human.
  • (11) Trade unions have sought to highlight the insecurity of workers who have been forced into self-employment in the tough jobs market of recent years.
  • (12) UK negotiatiors, though, fought back hard -- thus Cameron's fighting talk in his press conference ( see 12.46pm ) 12.49pm BST Open Europe tweets Cameron's tough talk on the rebate: Open Europe (@OpenEurope) Cameron: in Feb we reached a clear deal rebate would remain unchanged, since then some have tried to question this agreement June 28, 2013 Open Europe (@OpenEurope) Cameron: I defeated these attempts to change the rebate, it will remain unchanged for this long term budget June 28, 2013 12.46pm BST David Cameron press conference underway In Brussels, David Cameron is holding his press conference now.
  • (13) The mechanical properties of compressed beam specimens of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel pH 101) have been assessed in terms of the tensile strength (sigma t), Young's modulus (E) and the following fracture mechanics parameters: the critical stress intensity factor (KIC), the critical strain energy release rate (GIC) and the fracture toughness (R).
  • (14) "2013 was a tough year for us both in minerals and in oil and gas," Cochrane said, adding that the group had relied on"self help", including diversification which offset some of the challenges in its core mining market, improving operational efficiency, and strong growth in its after sales business, where orders were up 16% on 2012 and which accounted for 63% of revenues last year.
  • (15) "We carved out a few chances, but it was tough to break them down."
  • (16) Channel 5 will be hoping for a similar return for its new series, although with the launch audience around a third down on last year's opener, it may prove a tough ask.
  • (17) Dimon, the charismatic leader of the bank, had enjoyed a reputation as a tough, strict taskmaster, the kind of CEO every bank should have.
  • (18) Cameron put all of his betting chips on what seemed to be the party's trump card: the "vote for us, we're tough on migration and tough on migrants" strategy.
  • (19) As well as limited terms for MPs, Grillo has called for a referendum on the euro and a tough line on immigration.
  • (20) "It's a tough game but our best football has come in this competition and we'll try and show it next week.