■ adjective
1》 solid, firm, and rigid; not easily broken, bent, or pierced.
↘(of a person) not showing any signs of weakness; tough.
2》 requiring or demonstrating a great deal of endurance or effort; difficult.
↘strict and demanding: a ~ taskmaster.
↘denoting an extreme or dogmatic faction within a political party: the ~ left.
3》 (of information or a subject of study) concerned with precise and verifiable facts: ~ science.
4》 harsh or unpleasant to the senses.
↘(of a season or the weather) severe.
5》 done with a great deal of force or strength: a ~ whack.
6》 strongly alcoholic; denoting a spirit rather than beer or wine.
↘(of a drug) potent and addictive.
7》 (of water) containing mineral salts.
8》 (of pornography) highly obscene and explicit.
9》 (of prices of shares, commodities, etc.) high and stable; firm.
10》 (of radiation) highly penetrating.
11》 (of a consonant) pronounced as a velar plosive (as c in cat , g in go ).
■ adverb
1》 with a great deal of effort.
↘with a great deal of force; violently.
2》 so as to be solid or firm.
3》 to the fullest extent possible: put the wheel ~ over to starboard.
■ noun Brit. a road leading down across a foreshore.
Phrases
be ~ put ( to it ) find it very difficult.
go ~ with dated turn out to (someone's) disadvantage.
~ and fast [usu. with negative ] (of a rule or distinction) fixed and definitive.
~ at it informal busily working.
~ by close to.
~ cheese Brit. informal, dated used to express sympathy over a petty matter.
~ done by Brit. harshly or unfairly treated.
~ feelings [usu. with negative ] feelings of resentment.
~ going difficult to understand or enjoy.
~ luck (or lines ) Brit. informal used to express sympathy or commiserations.
~ of hearing not able to hear well.
~ on (or upon ) close to; following soon after.
the ~ stuff informal strong alcoholic drink.
~ up informal short of money.
play ~ to get informal deliberately adopt an aloof or uninterested attitude.
put the ~ word on Austral./NZ informal ask a favour of.
Derivatives
~ish adjective
~ness noun
Origin
OE ~ , heard , of Gmc origin.