In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.
toughest
superlative form of tough: most tough
• oughtest
Source: Wiktionary
Tough, a. [Compar. Tougher; superl. Toughest.] Etym: [OE. tough, AS. toh, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG. zahi, G. zähe, and also to AS. getenge near to, close to, oppressive, OS. bitengi.]
1. Having the quality of flexibility without brittleness; yielding to force without breaking; capable of resisting great strain; as, the ligaments of animals are remarkably tough. "Tough roots and stubs. " Milton.
2. Not easily broken; able to endure hardship; firm; strong; as, tough sinews. Cowper. A body made of brass, the crone demands, . . . Tough to the last, and with no toil to tire. Dryden. The basis of his character was caution combined with tough tenacity of purpose. J. A. Symonds.
3. Not easily separated; viscous; clammy; tenacious; as, tough phlegm.
4. Stiff; rigid; not flexible; stubborn; as, a tough bow. So tough a frame she could not bend. Dryden.
5. Severe; violent; as, a tough storm. [Colloq.] " A tough debate. " Fuller. To make it tough, to make it a matter of difficulty; to make it a hard matter. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
22 June 2025
(noun) an elongated leather strip (or a strip of similar material) for binding things together or holding something in position
In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his family’s pot filled with coffee.