What is "regular tough" ?

Question

I'm reading 'The Great Gatsby'.And there is a sentence like "he’s regular tough underneath".Is he tough or not tough?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Shigeru SatoIs he tough or not tough?

It is not a question of whether he is tough or not tough.

It is a question of whether he is a tough or not a tough.

It would help if you quoted the passage correctly. We're dealing with a noun, not an adjective, here. The correct quote is:

He's a regular tough underneath.

__________________

REGULAR, adjective:

a : constituted, conducted, scheduled, or done in conformity with established or prescribed usages, rules, or discipline

b : normal, standard: as (1) : absolute, complete<a regular fool> <the office seemed like a regular madhouse> (2) : thinking or behaving in an acceptable, normal, or agreeable manner <was a regular guy>

TOUGH, noun:

a tough and violent person

<didn't want her son hanging out with the neighborhood toughs>
<One night, after antagonizing a gang of older toughs, he had his face smashed in with a hockey stick. —John Harris, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2002>

________________________

Therefore,

He's a regular tough. = He is a thoroughly violent person.

CJ

Shigeru Sato · Answer

Thank you!

I did not notice the meaning 'absolute, complete.'

By the way, my 'The Great Gatsby' book (penguin popular classics, UK version, Page 85) does contain the phrase

"You see, he's regular tough underneath it all", not "he's a regular tough".

I checked 'Project Gutenberg Australia', and in it, the phrase is "he's a regular tough" as you say.

I suppose this is a difference between US and UK version.

What is "regular tough" ?

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions