Middle English Dictionary Entry
tough adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | tough adj. Also toughe, touge, touȝ(e, touȝhe, touȝt(e, touȝth, touh, touh(h)e, touth, tou, towe, togh(e, toȝ(e, toȝt, tewe, (N) teugh & (early dat.) toȝen & (in surname) toh; comp. touore, tower. |
| Etymology | OE tōh, tōch. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Strong, powerful; (b) fierce, violent, severe; maken hit ~, to fight fiercely; (c) of an emotion: strongly felt; grievous.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4648 : Hamun him to strac mid toȝen his mæine.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1726 : He streight vp to his ere drough The stronge bowe, that was so tough [F L'arc qui estoit fort], And shette att me.
b
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)517 : Þe wrastlinge bitvene hom was somdel toȝt.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)3636 : Four hondred men ar he reste is owe honde he slou, & sixti & tene al so; þe asaut was somdel tou.
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)9710 : Herui also it made touȝ: To þe chine he on slitt And of to þe heued of kitt.
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)801/41 : Þo hij to gadere com, þat bataile was wel touȝt.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)2450 : Ac þoo he was to sadel ybrouȝth, On boþe half it was wel touȝth.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)89/871 : Malancolicus: invyous, carfull, covatous, tough, & not worth, full of deceyvynge, hee-hartyd, ȝalowysshydyd.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)9328 : Gwynan gan wax togh and tene That any knight so long him helde.
- c1450 Kynge of grace (Trin-C B.11.24)89 : The see woll ryse & fle..With wawys grete & stormys towe.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24439 : I sagh him dei, i sorud ai..Mi tening es sa togh.
- a1450(1411) Many man (Dgb 102)35 : My loue to man, it was so tow.
2.
(a) Not tender or fragile, tough; ~ hoved, having tough hoofs; (b) sturdy, hardy, vigorous; (c) not easily broken; hard to cut; also, resilient; also, resistant to fire [quot. a1500].
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)189 : Þo þouȝte him in a wision þat i-saiȝ a gret treo..hit beiȝ al a-doun to him aftur is wille i-novȝ, For al þat him dradde furst, þat it was heiȝ and tovȝ.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5890 : Þat child heo bet so stronge mid þe condlen longe & towe.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1992 : The dore was al of athamant eterne Yclenched ouerthwart and endelong With iren togh.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2007 : Kynge Rycharde helde a trouchon tewe, And to them two he hym drewe.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1812 : Þai suld titly þam take & by þe toȝe throtis [Dub: nekez], And..þam send to þe galawis.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6004 : Þis bell suld..On a sledd..be layde..Þos all þe sledd ware strange and toghe, ȝit it was noȝt strange ynoghe to bere slike a charge.
- c1500 Horse(3) (Hnt HU 1051)1.421 : A horse hath xviij propretees..iij of an asse..strong chynede, towgh hovyde, and well etynge.
b
- a1400(a1325) Glo.Chron.B (Trin-C R.4.26)848/150 : His ost..prustes at þe weuede ne sparede riȝt nout, Ac broute to deþe sumdel þat was tout.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.187 : Ac seedes þat been sowen and mowe suffre wyntres Aren tydyour and tower [vr. touore] to mannes by-hofthe.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1869 : He þonkked hir oft ful swyþe..Ho hatz kyst þe knyȝt so toȝt [rime: þoȝt].
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3925 : O tormentours, I charge you That ye þis rebel wyth peynys assayle, And sparyth hym not, for he is yung & tou.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)13038 : Beof..held Petron al ston stille..Petron had go nad Beofs be tow.
c
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)2925 : Kerueþ ȝoure speres lang and makeþ heom toȝe an strang.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.317 : In Tyberius his tyme, a craftes man hadde i-founde a craft of temperynge of glas to make þe glas tough i-now to bende and wende.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)115/7-8 : Þe brayn is towȝ þat þe senewis þat goon out of hym myȝte be þe more towȝ.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)429 : His feet þorgh they gan to perce, And on bowes tendre, tough, and smale, They knet hym vp.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)133a/a : Þof al Beneuenutus chese hem of syluer..it pleseþ more to me of gode Iren tretable, or touȝ, & not frangibile, or brokle [Ch.(2): þat wil bowe and not breke].
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)1533 : Castor spere was tow and strong.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(1) (Med-L 136)224/711 : Do hem all in an nw pott of erþe..& take a scele of an oke & like þat it be welkyd & touge and wete it.
- a1475 VPhilibert (Brog 2.1)p.19 : Tho thi skynne be never so hard and towȝe, ȝet wylle the wormus into thi body crepe.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)13b/a : A senewe..is flexible, sensible, strong, & towȝ.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)313/250 : With cordes enewe and ropys toghe The Iues fell my lymmes out-drogh.
- a1500 Methodius(3) (Stw 953)177 : The marbyll pelere sothe to sey To be safe in watyr & floode; þe tylen for yt ys towhe all-wey, Thow þe fere be neuer so wode.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7495 : Telamon..with a togh speire, With the kyng of Capadoys caupit so harde Þat bothe werre þai bold men borne to þe grene.
3.
(a) Steadfast, stout; (b) maken hit ~, to be arrogant or obstinate.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1349) Rolle MPass.(2) (Upps C.494)43/11 : Now, swete Ihesu, make me towȝe as metal a ȝens temptaciouns.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)498 : Towhhe, not tendyr: Tenax.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)323 : To serue hym lokes þat ȝe bene toughe Of alle þat scholde hym gayne.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)184 : Trouthe is so tough and loeth forto teere.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)2.1041 : Hir herte is hard and tough as is the thorn.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)73/12 : His witte as fresch, his vndirstandyng as redy, his mynde as tow, his reson as clene were at þat our.
- ?a1475 LDirige(2) (Dc 322)521 : Where ys..all my pacience therto?..Yef myn hert be styf and towe, To thanke the in wele and woo.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)4077 : No drede þe no more of þis kinges Now þai han ymade it touȝ.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.30 : Þou were harder þan þe flint..Þou þat madest it so touȝ, Al þi bobauuce is now ystint.
- a1500 Tundale (Adv 19.3.1)486 : This hogy best..His sette to swolo couetows men That in erthe makyght hit prowd and towghe [Adv:Mearns: towȝe] And neuer wenon to have ynowghe But euer coueton more and more.
4.
(a) Viscous, plastery, adhesive; also fig. [quot. c1400 PLove]; also, hard; ~ clei, pitch; ~ erthe, clayey soil; also, pitch; (b) maken hit ~, to be persistent or pertinacious, importune; ?also, joke repetitiously [last quot.]; also, make a lie plausible, 'make it stick' [quot. a1420].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.11.3 : Þey haden tylez for stonez & touȝ cley for cyment [WB(2): pitche for morter].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.45.9 : I þe lord shoop hym..þe shord of þe toowȝ [vr. toȝ] cley of erþe.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)78/278 : Þe clay of Egipte was touȝ, stynkynge, and medlid wiþ blood.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)895/23 : In faste cley and tough..fatty plantes groweþ soone.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)979/24 : Þis gomme mastix..is ymade towȝ and cleuynge [L glutinosa] and hard as wex among þe teeþ.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)6167 : A clay hij habbeþ..Stronge so yrne, touȝ so cyment.
- c1400 PLove (Hrl 2254)193/9 : Þis is a..towȝe Aue, for hit festeneþ our herte so faste to þis virgyne þat hit wole not loosen.
- a1425(a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)138.181/2 : Take þe þridde part of sowre dokkes and flour þerto, & bete it togeder tyl it be as towh as eny lyme.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)104/1167 : Sandy cuntre is calida & sicca; arenous, gravely contre tempery betwen bath fat & towgh, id est clayiss.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)391/259 : Bulla residens is sumtym called bulla tumens..þe gretter & þe mare tewgh & haldynge togydyr it is, þe mare viscous are þe humors.
- a1450 *3 Inspect.Hematoscopy (Htrn 307)f.166r : If þe blod aftir þe puttyng of blod water is brotil and esy to sundre it bitokneþ moche drienesse and if it be touȝ it bitokneþ quesy & viscouse humours.
- a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)49 : Take stronge Dow, & make a cake sumdele þicke, & make it tow.
- a1450 Treat.Horses (Sln 2584)111/342 : Make a rownde hole in þe myddel of þe leþer..& take towȝ cley..& cramme it riȝt wel.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)691 : Ceres..tilede in hur time on þe touh erþe And whete soþliche sew.
- a1456 Of alle þe craftes (Add 16165)p.37 : He dyd dryve In, þeghe þe lande were toughe.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)20/21 : Thei ded bake erde onto þe hardnes of ston, and þan had þei tow erde, clepid bitumen.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)152/14 : Þat þi stomak be voyde..mayst þu sone know be þine appetyte, and be þe sotelte of þi spatyl, qwan it is as fresch watir, noȝt towghe.
b
- ?c1325 As I stod on (ArmsAr 27)20 : It is no mister, your word forto wast..I wend be your semlant a chese you for chast, It is non ned to mak hit so tow.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Sh.(Manly-Rickert)B.1569 : Whan it was day, this marchant gan embrace His wyf al newe and kiste hire on hir face, And vp he goth and maketh it ful tough; 'Namoore,' quod she, 'by god ye haue ynough.'
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.4603 : Vlixes..was..To forge a lesyng also wonder able; With face pleyn he coude make it towe, Merie wordid, and but selde lowe.
- c1500 King & H.(Ashm 61:Furness)303 : The kyng ete and made hym glad, And grete lauȝter he lowȝe: 'Nere I had spoke of archery, I myȝt haue my bred full dryȝe.' The kyng made it full towȝhe.
5.
(a) Difficult to chew; also fig.; (b) difficult to endure; hard to do; (c) maken (hit) ~, to make difficulties, make things difficult; also, show reluctance (to do sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1335 Whose þenchiþ vp (Hrl 913)p.138 : Þe crust is boþe hard and touþ, Þe wreche was hard þat ow þe gode, Hard for hard is gode ynowȝ.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.722 : If so is that eny wo Mai fede a mannes herte wel, Therof I have..Of plente more than ynowh; Bot that is of himself so towh Mi stomac mai it noght defie.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)630 : He cached to his covhous and a calf bryngez Þat watz tender and not toȝe.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.2206 : Beif and moten woll serue well ynowe, And to goo so ferre for a litell bacon flycche, And hath longe hanged and is resty and toughe, [etc.].
- a1500 Hisp.SSecr.(Rwl C.83)7/38 : In þis season þu must absteine þe fro suche metis and frutis þat gendrith melancoly, as fro olde towgh bef and moton.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24735 : Wele lath me war yow for to greue þat yow mi talking thoght to togh.
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.66 : A roten swerd..tough to glue ayeyn though hit me delue.
- a1450 Diseases Women(2) (Sln 2463)140 : Mola..is engendred þorugh foule roten humours & grete & tough to dissoluen in þe marice.
c
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)292 : Wherto makestou it so touȝ, To þrete me in anoþer lond? Nam ich here at þin hond Ȝef þou hauest wille to fiȝte.
- c1390 Bi a wey (Vrn)67 : Þe Oxe in þe plouh, Whon he is ȝong, vntoun, and wylde..wol Rore and make hit touh.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.1025 : Towchyng thi lettre..I woot thow nylt it dygneliche endite, As make it with thise argumentes tough.
- (?c1425) Hoccl.Jonathas (Dur-U Cosin V.3.9)642 : He thoghte nat to make it qweynte and tow, And seye nay and streyne courtesie.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3516 : Iulius..make it noght so tow, ffor of thy birthe art þou noght wort a leek.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)355 : Þis sondismen..Tit tolden her tale, & wonder towe made, Of Crist & of Cayphas.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)120/3584 : To yelde me yow y kan not make it tow.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)217/6475 : Whi make ye towgh to com where ye shulde be?
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1830 : This is þe ende of our tale, make it nevir so touȝte.
- a1500(?a1325) Otuel & R (Fil)190 : Y schall wete wel y-nowe why thou makyst hyt sa towe, ȝyf thou wylt come to honde.
- a1500(?a1400) KEdw.& S.(Cmb Ff.5.48)787 : Ne were Ioly Robyn..Today [ȝe] gate no mone of me, Made þou it neuer so towȝ.
6.
As surname.
Associated quotations
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames352 : Alicia la Towe.
- (1275) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames352 : Nicholas le Toghe.
- (1285) Chester R.in Chet.n.s.84207 : Robert Toh.
- (1327) Name in LuSE 7873 : Le Towe.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Sln.122 Artist.Recipes (Sln 122) 121/23 : Wasche it eftsones with thy towe mater, and leye it not to thikke for drynchyng of thi gold, and ley on thi gold thy mater beyng al weet.
Note: = 'viscous'. Postdates sense 4.(a).
- ?c1475 Mrg.Bühler.17 Artist.Recipes (Mrg Bühler 17) 249/5 : Grynd it on a stone right small, and if it wax tughe in the gryndyng cast theron a litill of the watir þat it was sodyn in.
Note: Addtional quot., sense 2.(c).
Note: New spelling (tughe).