Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: strang

strong

 adjective
     
strong S1 W1 comparative stronger, superlative strongest
1

able to lift heavy things/do hard work

having a lot of physical power so that you can lift heavy things, do hard physical work etc:
He was a big strong man.
Jack was tall and strong.
strong hands/arms/muscles etc
He picked her up in his big strong arms.
I'm not strong enough to fight him.
2

not easily damaged

not easily broken or destroyed:
good strong shoes
The locks on the doors were solid and strong.
3

able to deal with difficulty

determined and able to deal with a difficult or upsetting situation:
I am not strong enough to take insults and hatred.
Laura had a strong character.
4

powerful

having a lot of power or influence:
The Fifth French Republic was established with a strong president in 1958.
a strong national army
Our party is the strongest as we come up to the election.
5

feelings/opinions

strong emotions, opinions, beliefs etc are ones that you feel or believe a lot and are very serious about:
He had a strong sense of responsibility to his vocation of preaching.
There has been strong support for the strike.
The proposal has met with strong opposition from local people.
strong feelings/views/opinions
Many people have strong feelings about the issue.
6

affect/influence

a strong desire, influence etc affects you very much:
He had a strong desire for power.
Such feelings may have a strong influence over your decisions.
The temptation is very strong.
7

relationship

a strong relationship, friendship etc is very loyal and likely to last a long time:
He maintained strong links with the world of the deaf.
She still has a strong relationship with her mother.
I have a strong commitment to the quality of teaching.
8

argument/reason etc

likely to persuade other people that something is true or the correct thing to do:
There is a strong case for an energy conservation programme.
They need strong evidence to secure a conviction.
9

likely

likely to succeed or happen:
She's a strong candidate for the party leadership.
strong possibility/chance/probability
A year ago, there was a strong possibility that he wouldn't live.
10

healthy

healthy, especially after you have been ill:
I don't think her heart is very strong.
You've been blessed with a strong constitution (=you are healthy and do not easily become ill).
11

be in a strong position

also gain a strong position to be in a situation where you have power over other people or are likely to get what you want:
The company have gained a strong position in the cheese market.
12

strong wind/current/tide

HEMHEO wind, water etc that moves with great force:
A strong wind was blowing across the lake.
13

good at something

very good at something:
His writing was strong on description.
We beat a team that was much stronger than ourselves.
be somebody's strong point/suit (=the thing that someone is especially good at)
Tact never was my strong point.
14

taste/smell

having a taste or smell that you notice easily:
strong coffee
This cheese has a very strong flavour.
a strong smell of petrol
15

alcohol/drugs etc

having a lot of a substance such as alcohol that gives something its effect:
strong pain killers
I haven't touched strong drink (=alcoholic drinks) for years.
16

light/colour

bright and easy to see:
The light was not very strong.
17

strong language

speech or writing that contains a lot of swearing:
This film is not suitable for children under 12 as it contains strong language.
18

strong accent

the way that someone pronounces words that shows clearly that they come from a particular area or country:
a strong German accent
19

strong nose/chin/features

a nose etc that is large and noticeable, especially in an attractive way:
She has the same strong features as her mother.
20

money

PEC a strong currency (=the type of money used in a country) does not easily lose its value compared with other currencies
21

600/10,000 etc strong

[only after number] used to give the number of people in a crowd or organization:
the company's 2,200 strong workforce
The crowd was 10,000 strong.
22

be going strong

to continue to be active or successful, even after a long time:
He celebrated his ninetieth birthday this month and is still going strong.

➔ come on strong

at come on (10)WORD FOCUS: strong WORD FOCUS: strong
person: tough, muscular, wiry, powerful
thing: tough, sturdy, durable, rugged, heavy-duty, indestructible, well-made, robust
country/organization: powerful, mighty, influential, dominantstrong ➔ strength, power
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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