DIFFICULT 困难的, difficult to do or deal with

难办的，棘手的，费力的:

It was a tough race.

比赛很艰苦。

She's had a tough life.

她的生活十分艰辛。

The company admitted that it had been a tough year.

该公司承认那是艰难的一年。

Tough decisions will have to be made.

必须作出艰难的决定。

The reporters were asking a lot of tough questions .

记者们问了很多难以回答的问题。

The family has had a tough time of it these last few months.

最近几个月这家人日子很难熬。

It's tough being married to a cop.

嫁给一个警察日子不好过。

Having to stay indoors all day is tough on a kid.

对于小孩子来说整天呆在家里是很难熬的。

It was a tough call (=a difficult decision), but we had to cancel the game because of the weather.

那是一个艰难的决定，但是天气不好我们只好取消比赛。

I find his books pretty tough going (=difficult to read) .

我发现他的书很难读。

Gage predicted the president's proposal would be a tough sell (=something that is difficult to persuade someone about) before Congress. [AmE]

盖奇预言总统的提议在国会很难通过。

STRONG PERSON 坚强的人, physically or emotionally strong and able to deal with difficult situations

坚强的，顽强的; 能吃苦耐劳的:

The men who work on the oil rigs are a tough bunch.

在石油钻塔上工作的都是吃苦耐劳的人。

He's as tough as nails – a good man to have on the team.

他是个很坚韧的人 — 队里有他真好。

STRONG MATERIAL 坚固的材料, not easily broken or made weaker

结实的，不易破损的; 坚固的:

tough, durable plastic

坚韧耐用的塑料

a very tough, hard-wearing cloth

非常结实、耐磨损的布料

STRICT / FIRM 严格的/坚定的, very strict or firm

严厉的; 强硬的:

My mother was very tough on my sister.

我母亲对我姐姐十分严厉。

It's time to get tough with drunk drivers.

是该严格处理酒后驾车的司机了。

The EU is taking a tough line with the UK over this issue.

欧盟在这一问题上对英国采取了强硬的态度。

VIOLENT AREA 暴力地区, a tough part of a town has a lot of crime or violence

〔城区〕暴力犯罪多发的，治安很差的:

a tough area of Chicago

芝加哥治安很差的一个地区

tough! / that's tough!, [spoken] used when you do not have any sympathy with someone

活该！:

'I'm getting wet.' 'Tough! You should've brought your umbrella.'

“我淋湿了。”“活该！ 你应该带雨伞的。”

She didn't tell us she was coming, so if this screws up her plans that's just tough.

她没有告诉我们她要来，所以，如果这打乱了她的计划，也是活该。

tough luck! [spoken]

tough shit!, [spoken not polite] used when you do not have any sympathy for someone's problems

活该！

VIOLENT PERSON 粗暴的人, likely to behave violently and having no gentle qualities

粗暴的，凶恶的:

one of football's most notorious tough guys

足球界一个声名狼藉的恶棍

tough young thugs looking for trouble

到处滋事的年轻暴徒

FOOD 食物, difficult to cut or eat

切不下的; 咬不动的; 不嫩的，老的;

The meat was tough and hard to chew.

这肉太老，很难嚼。

the tough outer leaves of the cabbage

洋白菜外面那几层老菜叶

tough love, a way of helping someone to change their behaviour by treating them in a kind but strict way

〔为帮助某人改变行为而采取的〕严格的爱，恩威并施

someone who often behaves in a violent way

暴徒，恶棍

in a way that shows you are very determined

坚强地，坚定地:

Washington played tough in the second half of the game.

华盛顿队在比赛的下半场表现得十分顽强。

You're talking tough now but you wait until you get into the interview.

你现在嘴硬，等到你面试时就知道了。