INDEX:
1. having a strong body
2. strong and healthy, and able to deal with illnesses, difficult conditions etc
3. physical strength
4. strong thing/material
5. to make something stronger
6. a strong feeling/belief
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ WEAK
strong taste : ↑ TASTE
strong smell : ↑ SMELL
see also
↑ HEALTHY/UNHEALTHY
↑ FIT/NOT FIT
↑ POWER/POWERFUL
↑ BRAVE/NOT BRAVE
↑ HARD
↑ FEEL
↑ BELIEVE
↑ DETERMINED
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1. having a strong body
▷ strong /strɒŋǁstrɔːŋ/ [adjective]
someone who is strong has big muscles and can lift heavy things, do a lot of physical work etc :
▪ It took four strong men to lift the piano.
▪ Unless you have very strong arms, get a workman to do the drilling for you.
big and strong
▪ Sarah’s big and strong, just like the men she works with.
as strong as an ox
very strong
▪ Twenty years of working in the steel mill had made him as strong as an ox.
▷ powerful /ˈpaʊəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
very strong - use this about someone’s body, arms, muscles etc :
▪ He was a tall man with a powerful physique.
▷ muscular /ˈmʌskjɑləʳ/ [adjective]
someone who is muscular looks strong because you can see that they have big muscles :
▪ She liked men who were tall and muscular.
▪ He had broad shoulders and muscular arms.
▪ He kept his firm muscular body in shape with an hour’s run every morning.
▷ well-built /ˌwel ˈbɪlt◂/ [adjective]
a well-built man is strong and tall in an attractive way :
▪ A well-built young man in uniform came to our table and asked the time.
▪ Witnesses have described the attacker as white, six feet tall and well-built.
▷ strapping /ˈstræpɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]
a strapping young man or young woman is strong, tall, and looks healthy and active :
▪ She remembered Martin as a strapping youth with a big appetite.
▪ The farmer’s daughters were a fine pair of strapping young girls.
▷ brawny /ˈbrɔːni/ [adjective]
strong, with big muscles - use this especially to talk about someone who looks physically strong rather than intelligent :
▪ The gardener’s assistant arrived -- a brawny youth who never said a word.
▪ He had a football player’s physique: big head, thick neck, brawny shoulders, and heavy legs.
2. strong and healthy, and able to deal with illnesses, difficult conditions etc
▷ strong /strɒŋǁstrɔːŋ/ [adjective]
▪ She had three young daughters, all strong and healthy.
▪ After a week in bed I felt strong enough to try walking a few steps.
have a strong constitution
have a naturally strong and healthy body
▪ Despite his strong constitution, his health was beginning to suffer.
▷ sturdy /ˈstɜːʳdi/ [adjective]
strong and healthy-looking, and a little short :
▪ Maria was small and sturdy, with dark hair and dark eyes.
▪ Mrs Harding herself was thin and frail but her son was a sturdy sixteen-year- old.
▪ The ponies used underground were sturdy little animals that came originally from Northern Spain.
▷ robust /rəˈbʌst, ˈrəʊbʌst/ [adjective]
someone who is robust, is strong and healthy and unlikely to become ill or get tired easily :
▪ Though he was over seventy, he was still robust and active.
▪ Less robust persons might need a siesta, but Eva worked right through from dawn till dusk.
▷ hardy /ˈhɑːʳdi/ [adjective]
people who are hardy are naturally strong and healthy and can live in very difficult or uncomfortable conditions :
▪ The people who lived in the hills were a hardy and hard-working race.
▪ Charolais cattle do not like rain or too much cold. They are not hardy animals.
▷ tough /tʌf/ [adjective]
physically and mentally strong, so that you can live through very difficult conditions :
▪ When Aunt Agnes caught cholera out in India, we all expected her to die -- but she’s a tough old lady and she pulled through.
▪ I know she’s only a kid, but she’s tough.
▷ resilient /rɪˈzɪliənt/ [adjective]
someone who is resilient, especially a young person, is strong and healthy, so that they are only affected for a short time by illness, difficulties, or sudden changes in their lives :
▪ Amy will soon be out of hospital -- children of her age are very resilient.
▪ Being twenty-three years old and quite resilient, I got over the shock pretty quickly.
3. physical strength
▷ strength /streŋθ, strenθ/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to lift or carry heavy things, to do a lot of physical work etc :
▪ Men are better at some sports because of their greater physical strength.
▪ Regular gym sessions will improve both your health and strength.
▪ I didn’t have the strength to climb any further.
▪ Diana pulled on the rope with all her strength.
build up your strength
▪ Bill was doing a lot of exercise to build up his strength.
▷ power /ˈpaʊəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
a lot of physical strength in a particular part of your body :
▪ Mike had tremendous power in his forearms.
▪ A dynamometer is used to measure muscle power.
▷ brawn /brɔːn/ [uncountable noun]
physical strength, use this especially to compare strength with intelligence or skill :
▪ You can’t be good at tennis if you rely on brawn alone -- it takes skill as well.
▪ The battle was won by brain rather than brawn.
▷ force /fɔːʳs/ [uncountable noun]
physical strength that is needed to be able to push, pull, or lift something :
▪ I had to use force to get the window open.
physical force
▪ The use of physical force by teachers tended to promote violent behaviour by pupils.
▷ stamina /ˈstæmɪnə, ˈstæmənə/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to work hard, run, play sports etc for a long time without getting tired :
▪ You need stamina to be a long-distance runner.
▪ exercises to increase your strength and stamina
▷ staying power /ˈsteɪ-ɪŋ ˌpaʊəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to continue doing something difficult until it is finished :
▪ You have to admire her staying power. No one else has managed to stick that job for more than a year!
▪ Ahmedi’s performances were world-class in the 1500 metres but he just didn’t have the staying power for longer races.
▷ endurance /ɪnˈdjʊ ə rənsǁɪnˈdʊ ə r-/ [uncountable noun]
the physical and mental strength you need to be able to continue in a very difficult, unpleasant, or uncomfortable situation for a long time :
▪ The people showed great courage, patience, and endurance during the long years of the war.
endurance test
▪ The triathlon is the ultimate endurance test.
test of somebody’s endurance
a situation that needs great endurance
▪ The expeditions behind enemy lines were a tremendous test of one’s endurance and nerves.
4. strong thing/material
▷ strong /strɒŋǁstrɔːŋ/ [adjective]
something that is strong cannot be broken or destroyed easily :
▪ The bags are made of strong black plastic
▪ You’ll need a strong piece of rope for towing the car.
▪ After full heat treatment, the alloy proved to be five times as strong as the pure aluminium.
strength /streŋθ, strenθ/ [uncountable noun]
▪ If internal timbers are removed, the strength of the roof will be seriously impaired.
▷ solid /ˈsɒlɪd, ˈsɒlədǁˈsɑː-/ [adjective]
a building or piece of furniture that is solid is strong and well made :
▪ The table seemed solid enough, so I climbed up onto it.
▪ rows of solid little houses built of local stone
as solid as a rock
very solid
▪ He rapped his knuckles against the body of the sink unit. It was as solid as a rock.
▷ tough /tʌf/ [adjective]
not easily cut or damaged - use this about cloth, leather, plastic etc :
▪ The sailors wore jackets made from tough waterproof cotton.
▪ a pair of tough leather boots
▪ Normal floor paint might not be tough enough for the garage.
▷ durable /ˈdjʊ ə rəb ə lǁˈdʊ ə r-/ [adjective]
substances or products that are durable are strong and will last a long time, even if they are used a lot :
▪ Bronze is harder and more durable than tin.
▪ What you need for Africa is a simple, durable and inexpensive vehicle.
▪ The roofs are constructed from heavy and durable timbers, usually teak or mahogany.
durability /ˌdjʊ ə rəˈbɪlɪti, ˌdjʊ ə rəˈbɪlətiǁˌdʊ ə r-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ We tested several products for quality and durability.
▷ heavy-duty /ˌhevi ˈdjuːti◂ǁ-ˈduːti◂/ [adjective only before noun]
heavy-duty materials, tools, machines etc are specially made to be stronger than usual, often because they are going to be used a lot or used in difficult conditions :
▪ If you are going to put an electric cable underground, you must use the special heavy-duty type.
▪ The emergency equipment includes food, a first-aid kit, and a heavy-duty flashlight.
▷ hardwearing /ˌhɑːʳdˈwe ə rɪŋ◂/ [adjective]
a hardwearing cloth or material is strong and will last a long time, even if it is used a lot :
▪ Polyester is not particularly hardwearing but it is cheap.
▪ It’s best to lay a good quality, hardwearing carpet.
▷ reinforced /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːʳst◂, ˌriːənˈfɔːʳst◂/ [adjective only before noun]
a reinforced material or part has had other materials or parts added to make it stronger :
▪ A reinforced concrete dome, two metres thick, protects the radioactive core of the nuclear reactor.
▪ Like all the clothes in the range it has specially reinforced seams.
▷ unbreakable /ʌnˈbreɪkəb ə l/ [adjective]
something that is unbreakable is difficult or impossible to break because it is made of a very strong substance :
▪ Make sure your patio doors are made of unbreakable glass.
▪ a virtually unbreakable vacuum flask
▷ indestructible /ˌɪndɪˈstrʌktɪb ə l, ˌɪndɪˈstrʌktəb ə l/ [adjective]
impossible to break, damage or destroy :
▪ Until the accident, the ship was considered indestructible.
▪ There is little point putting an indestructible door in a frame that will rot in 10 years.
5. to make something stronger
▷ make something stronger /ˌmeɪk something ˈstrɒŋgəʳǁ-ˈstrɔːŋ-/ [verb phrase]
to make something physically stronger :
▪ I’ve put in some extra posts to make the fence stronger.
▪ A final heat treatment makes the glass much stronger and improves its optical qualities.
▷ strengthen /ˈstreŋθ ə n, ˈstrenθ ə n/ [transitive verb]
to make something strong, especially by adding something else :
▪ The ship’s decks will have to be strengthened to carry the extra weight.
▪ a set of exercises to strengthen the leg muscles
▪ The walls were strengthened with steel rods.
▷ reinforce /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːʳs, ˌriːənˈfɔːʳs/ [transitive verb]
to make part of a building or structure stronger :
▪ Huge beams have been added at the top of the walls to reinforce the carved medieval roof.
▪ The sea wall at Southend is being reinforced with tons of cement.
6. a strong feeling/belief
▷ strong /strɒŋǁstrɔːŋ/ [adjective]
▪ The subject of abortion always arouses strong emotions.
▪ Stapleton has very strong views on capital punishment.
▪ She had a strong urge to sell everything she owned and travel abroad.
▪ The new police have received strong support from local residents.
strongly [adverb]
▪ I don’t let people smoke in my house -- it’s something I feel very strongly about.
strength /streŋθ, strenθ/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The President could not ignore the strength of public opinion.
▷ intense /ɪnˈtens/ [adjective]
a feeling that is intense is extremely strong :
▪ It would give me intense pleasure to beat him at tennis.
▪ As we waited for the winner to be announced, the excitement was intense.
▪ Every car was stopped and searched, which caused intense annoyance to the drivers.
intensely [adverb]
▪ From the moment I first met him I disliked him intensely.
▷ passionate /ˈpæʃ ə nɪt, ˈpæʃ ə nət/ [adjective]
involving strong feelings, especially about what is right and wrong :
▪ I remember many passionate arguments taking place around this table.
passionate about
▪ He’s passionate about the need to protect the environment.
passionate believer/opponent/supporter etc
▪ Thatcher has always been a passionate believer in the ideals of a free market economy.
passionately [adverb]
▪ He was passionately against nuclear weapons.
passion [uncountable noun]
▪ He delivered his speech with passion and conviction.
▷ powerful /ˈpaʊəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
having a great effect on someone :
▪ Jealousy is a very powerful emotion.
▪ Her desire to hit him was so powerful that she had to force herself to leave the room at once.
▷ deep /diːp/ [adjective]
a deep feeling is one that you feel very strongly, especially a feeling of love, disappointment, or sympathy :
▪ I have always had a deep affection for your family.
▪ The news came as a deep disappointment to us all.
▪ Please accept our deepest sympathies. used when someone has died
deeply [adverb]
▪ He was deeply offended by their remarks.
▷ fervent /ˈfɜːʳvənt/ [adjective usually before noun]
very strong and sincere :
▪ Despite her troubled life she has always had a fervent belief in God.
fervent admirer/supporter/believer etc
▪ Most of the people here are fervent supporters of self-determination.
fervently [adverb]
▪ He will be remembered as a politician who fervently argued for what he believed in.
▷ ardent /ˈɑːʳd ə nt/ [adjective usually before noun] formal
very strong and sincere :
▪ He was a man of strong beliefs and had always given ardent support to the Reform cause.
▪ Even his most ardent supporters disagreed with this move.
ardently [adverb]
▪ She ardently believed that women should have the same rights as men and was determined to fight for this.