different between badass vs tough

English

Etymology

bad +? ass (“buttocks; one's self or person”)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?bædæs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?bæd?æs/
• (older) IPA^(key): /bæd?æs/
• Hyphenation: bad?ass

Noun

badass (plural badasses)

1. (US, sometimes considered vulgar, slang, negative connotation) A belligerent or mean person; a person with an unpleasantly extreme appearance, attitudes, or behavior.
2. (US, sometimes considered vulgar, youth slang, positive connotation) A person considered impressive due to courage, skill, and/or toughness.

Alternative forms

• bad-ass
• bad ass

Translations

Adjective

badass (comparative more badass, superlative most badass)

1. (US, sometimes considered vulgar, slang, negative connotation) Belligerent and troublesome.
2. (US, sometimes considered vulgar, slang, positive connotation) Having an extreme appearance, attitude, or behavior that is considered admirable.

Synonyms

• (having an extreme appearance, etc., considered admirable): awesome, cool, sick, wicked

Derived terms

• badassery
• badassness

Usage notes

This term is sometimes considered vulgar, and some may take offence at its usage in conversation, especially when in polite company or in public.

Translations

References

Further reading

• badass (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Etymology

From Middle English tough, towgh, tou, to?, from Old English t?h (“tough, tenacious, holding fast together; pliant; sticky, glutinous, clammy”), from Proto-West Germanic *t??h(?), from Proto-Germanic *tanhuz (“fitting; clinging; tenacious; tough”), from Proto-Indo-European *den?- (“to bite”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: t?f, IPA^(key): /t?f/
• Rhymes: -?f
• Homophone: tuff

Adjective

tough (comparative tougher, superlative toughest)

1. Strong and resilient; sturdy.

   The tent, made of tough canvas, held up to many abuses.

2. (of food) Difficult to cut or chew.

   To soften a tough cut of meat, the recipe suggested simmering it for hours.

3. Rugged or physically hardy.

   Only a tough species will survive in the desert.

4. Stubborn.

   He had a reputation as a tough negotiator.

5. (of weather etc) Harsh or severe.
6. Rowdy or rough.

   A bunch of the tough boys from the wrong side of the tracks threatened him.

7. (of questions, etc.) Difficult or demanding.

   This is a tough crowd.

8. (material science) Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking.

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

tough

1. (slang) Used to indicate lack of sympathy

   If you don't like it, tough!

Translations

Noun

tough (plural toughs)

1. A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.

Translations

Verb

tough (third-person singular simple present toughs, present participle toughing, simple past and past participle toughed)

1. To endure.
2. To toughen.

Derived terms

• tough out

Translations

Anagrams

• ought

German

Etymology

From English tough; see also German taff.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /taf/

Adjective

tough (comparative tougher, superlative am toughsten or am toughesten)

1. (slang) Alternative form of taff (“tough; robust; assertive and not overly sensitive”)

Declension

declension with am toughsten

declension with am toughesten

Further reading

• “tough” in Duden online

Middle English

Noun

tough

1. Alternative form of tow