Touch"y (?), a. [For techy, tetchy.] Peevish; irritable; irascible;
techy; apt to take fire. [Colloq.]
It may be said of Dryden that he was at no time touchy about personal
attacks.
Saintsbury.
Tough (?), a. [Compar. Tougher (?); superl. Toughest.] [OE. tough, AS.
th, akin to D. taai, LG. taa, tage, tau, OHG. zhi, 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.