tenacious


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te·na·cious

 (tə-nā′shəs)
adj.
1.
a. Extremely persistent in adhering to or doing something; stubborn or relentless: "tenacious defenders of their harsh and pitiless land" (Dee Brown).
b. Characterized by extreme persistence; relentless or enduring: tenacious detective work; tenacious superstitions.
2. Holding together firmly; cohesive: a tenacious material.
3. Clinging to another object or surface; adhesive: tenacious lint.
4. Tending to retain; retentive: a tenacious memory.

[From Latin tenāx, tenāc-, holding fast, from tenēre, to hold; see ten- in Indo-European roots.]

te·na′cious·ly adv.
te·nac′i·ty (tə-năs′ĭ-tē), te·na′cious·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tenacious

(tɪˈneɪʃəs)
adj
1. holding or grasping firmly; forceful: a tenacious grip.
2. retentive: a tenacious memory.
3. stubborn or persistent: a tenacious character.
4. holding together firmly; tough or cohesive: tenacious cement.
5. tending to stick or adhere: tenacious mud.
[C16: from Latin tenāx, from tenēre to hold]
teˈnaciously adv
teˈnaciousness, tenacity n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

te•na•cious

(təˈneɪ ʃəs)

adj.
1. holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often fol. by of): a tenacious grip; tenacious of old habits.
2. highly retentive: a tenacious memory.
3. persistent or stubborn.
4. adhesive or sticky.
5. holding together; cohesive.
[1600–10; < Latin tenāx, s. tenāc- holding fast, tenacious, adj. derivative of tenēre to hold]
te•na′cious•ly, adv.
te•na′cious•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.tenacious - good at remembering; "a retentive mind"; "tenacious memory"
mindful, aware - bearing in mind; attentive to; "ever mindful of her health"; "mindful of his responsibilities"; "mindful of these criticisms, I shall attempt to justify my action"
2.tenacious - stubbornly unyieldingtenacious - stubbornly unyielding; "dogged persistence"; "dour determination"; "the most vocal and pertinacious of all the critics"; "a mind not gifted to discover truth but tenacious to hold it"- T.S.Eliot; "men tenacious of opinion"
obstinate, stubborn, unregenerate - tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
3.tenacious - sticking together; "two coherent sheets"; "tenacious burrs"
adhesive - tending to adhere
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

tenacious

adjective
2. firm, dogged, persistent, unyielding, unswerving a tenacious belief
3. strong, firm, fast, iron, tight, clinging, forceful, immovable, unshakable He has a particularly tenacious grip on life.
4. retentive, good, photographic, unforgetful her analytical mind and tenacious memory
5. adhesive, clinging, sticky, glutinous, gluey, mucilaginous tenacious catarrh in the nasal passages and lungs
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

tenacious

adjective
2. Persistently holding to something:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

tenacious

[tɪˈneɪʃəs] ADJ [person] → tenaz; [belief, idea] → firme
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

tenacious

[tɪˈneɪʃəs] adj
(= determined) [person] → tenace
(= persistent) [belief] → tenace
(= firm) [hold, grip] → ferme
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

tenacious

adjzäh, hartnäckig; character, person alsobeharrlich; memoryunschlagbar; to be tenacious in doing somethingetw hartnäckig or eisern tun; the disease had a tenacious hold on …die Krankheit hielt … in eisernem Griff; to be tenacious of something (form)zäh an etw (dat)festhalten; to be tenacious of life (form) to have a tenacious hold on lifezäh am Leben hängen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

tenacious

[tɪˈneɪʃəs] adjtenace
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

te·na·cious

a. tenaz, persistente; determinado-a.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
No young man of twenty-four appointed chief mate for the first time in his life would have let that Dutch tenacious winter penetrate into his heart.
This metal, in fact, is the most tenacious, the most ductile, and the most malleable, and consequently suitable for all moulding operations; and when smelted with pit coal, is of superior quality for all engineering works requiring great resisting power, such as cannon, steam boilers, hydraulic presses, and the like.
Coming!" At which words, without taking any leave, she flung out of the room; for the lower sort of people are very tenacious of respect; and though they are contented to give this gratis to persons of quality, yet they never confer it on those of their own order without taking care to be well paid for their pains.
As to poll taxes, I, without scruple, confess my disapprobation of them; and though they have prevailed from an early period in those States[1] which have uniformly been the most tenacious of their rights, I should lament to see them introduced into practice under the national government.
We cannot err in supposing that the former would contend for a participation in the government, fully proportioned to their superior wealth and importance; and that the latter would not be less tenacious of the equality at present enjoyed by them.
"No," replied the soldier, tenacious in his credulity; "he has foretold many things which have come to pass; for instance, that the queen would have a son; that Monsieur Coligny would be killed in a duel with the Duc de Guise; and finally, that the coadjutor would be made cardinal.
The buffaloes are sometimes tenacious of life, and must be wounded in particular parts.
Some, contented with this reason, went away again, contented to repeat the tale to others, but others, more tenacious, insisted on having the doors opened, and among these last three Blue Ribbons, intended to take parts in a ballet, which would inevitably fail unless the said three had their costumes shaped by the very hand of the great Percerin himself.
Tenacious of power, he would keep Charles and the rest dependent, and retire from business reluctantly and at an advanced age.
Thus relieved of a grievous load, I from that hour set to work afresh, resolved to pioneer my way through every difficulty: I toiled hard, and my success was proportionate to my efforts; my memory, not naturally tenacious, improved with practice; exercise sharpened my wits; in a few weeks I was promoted to a higher class; in less than two months I was allowed to commence French and drawing.
Instead of striking between the sixth and seventh left ribs, as your countrymen do, you must have struck higher or lower, and life is very tenacious in these lawyers, or rather there is no truth in anything you have told me -- it was a fright of the imagination, a dream of your fancy.
And one day when Anne was walking with only the Musgroves, one of them after talking of rank, people of rank, and jealousy of rank, said, "I have no scruple of observing to you, how nonsensical some persons are about their place, because all the world knows how easy and indifferent you are about it; but I wish anybody could give Mary a hint that it would be a great deal better if she were not so very tenacious, especially if she would not be always putting herself forward to take place of mamma.