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Tough (Noun)

An aggressive and violent young criminal.

Nouns denoting people.

The young offender was known on the streets as a tough who wouldn't back down from a fight.
The authorities struggled to apprehend the tough who had been evading capture for months.
Growing up in a rough neighborhood had turned him into a tough with a talent for intimidation.
As a tough, he was used to getting his way through physical force rather than diplomacy.
Despite his youthful appearance, the tough had already amassed a lengthy rap sheet.

Someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing.

Nouns denoting people.

The old boxer was a tough from the streets, who earned respect for his brutal fighting style.
A tough doesn't usually make it to the championships without adapting their rough street tactics to fit within the ring's rules.
After being arrested several times for street brawls, he eventually became a legitimate boxer and went on to become a tough from his hometown neighborhood.
Boxing's great tough from New York is revered by fans as much for his underdog rise as his crushing knockouts in the ring.
For this rugged athlete to thrive, it would require dropping his status as an infamous tough in exchange for accepting training in conventional techniques.

A cruel and brutal fellow.

Nouns denoting people.

He was known as a tough on the streets, feared by everyone who crossed his path.
The tough had a reputation for being merciless to his enemies.
A tough like him was not someone you wanted to mess with in a dark alley.
The police finally caught the tough who had been terrorizing the neighborhood for months.
He was a tough with a heart of stone, showing no remorse for his cruel actions.