different between sturdy vs bulletproof

English

Etymology

From Middle English sturdy, stourdy, stordy (“bold, valiant, strong, stern, fierce, rebellious”) (perhaps influenced by Middle English sture, stoure, stor (“strong, robust, harsh, stern, violent, fierce, sturdy”); see English stour), from Old French estourdi (“dazed”), form of estourdir, originally “to daze, to make tipsy (almost drunk)” (Modern French étourdir (“to daze, to make tipsy”)), from Vulgar Latin *exturdire. Latin etymology is unclear – presumably it is ex- + turdus (“thrush (bird)”), but how this should mean “daze” is unclear. A speculative theory is that thrushes eat leftover winery grapes and thus became drunk, but this meets with objections.

Disease in cows and sheep is by extension of sense of “daze”, while sense of “strongly built” is of late 14th century, and relationship to earlier sense is less clear, perhaps from sense of a firm strike (causing a daze) or a strong, violent person.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?st??di/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?st?rdi/
• Rhymes: -??(r)di

Adjective

sturdy (comparative sturdier, superlative sturdiest)

1. Of firm build; stiff; stout; strong.
   • 1657, Henry Wotton, Characters of some Kings of England

     He was not of any delicate contexture; his limbs rather sturdy then dainty.

2. Solid in structure or person.

3. (obsolete) Foolishly obstinate or resolute; stubborn.

   • This must be done, and I would fain see / Mortal so sturdy as to gainsay.

   • October 28, 1705, Francis Atterbury, a sermon

     A sturdy, hardened sinner shall advance to the utmost pitch of impiety with less reluctance than he took the first steps.

4. Resolute, in a good sense; or firm, unyielding quality.

Synonyms

• hardy

Translations

Noun

sturdy (uncountable)

1. A disease in sheep and cattle, caused by a tapeworm and marked by great nervousness or by dullness and stupor.

Synonyms

• gid

Derived terms

• sturdied

Translations

References

• sturdy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Alternative forms

• bullet-proof

Etymology

bullet +? -proof

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b?l.?tp?u?f/
• Hyphenation: bul?let?proof

Adjective

bulletproof (comparative more bulletproof, superlative most bulletproof)

1. (of a material) Capable of withstanding a direct shot by a bullet fired from a gun.

   A bulletproof window.

   A bulletproof vest.

2. (idiomatic) Reliable, infallible, sturdy or error-tolerant.
3. (usually of an idea or concept) Unbreakable, very tough.

Synonyms

• (infallible): foolproof

Derived terms

• bulletproof hosting
• bulletproof host
• bulletproof vest

Translations

Verb

bulletproof (third-person singular simple present bulletproofs, present participle bulletproofing, simple past and past participle bulletproofed)

1. To make proof against bullets.
2. (slang) to make resistant to failure.

   We have to bulletproof this program before we let the users at it; check every input, catch every possible flaw...it must not fail in use.