Contextualizebeta

toughen

verb
/ˈtʌfən/

Etymology

From tough + -en.

  1. derived from *denḱ-✻ — “to bite”
  2. inherited from *tanhuz✻ — “fitting; clinging; tenacious; tough”
  3. inherited from *tą̄h(ī)✻
  4. inherited from tōh — “tough, tenacious, holding fast together; pliant; sticky, glutinous, clammy”
  5. inherited from tough
  6. suffixed as toughen — “tough + en”

Definitions

  1. To make tough.

    • The new training program is designed to toughen the athletes.
    • A cold shower every morning will toughen your skin.
    • Although the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) had toughened its stance on new third rail electrification, gaining approval for short sections of third rail to charge the batteries could be more straightforward.

  2. To become tough.

The neighborhood

Derived

toughen up

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for toughen. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA