- Tenacious
- Tenacious Te*na"cious, a. [L. tenax, -acis, from tenere to
hold. See {Tenable}, and cf. {Tenace}.]
1. Holding fast, or inclined to hold fast; inclined to retain
what is in possession; as, men tenacious of their just
rights.
[1913 Webster]
2. Apt to retain; retentive; as, a tenacious memory. [1913 Webster]
3. Having parts apt to adhere to each other; cohesive; tough; as, steel is a tenacious metal; tar is more tenacious than oil. --Sir I. Newton. [1913 Webster]
4. Apt to adhere to another substance; glutinous; viscous; sticking; adhesive. ``Female feet, too weak to struggle with tenacious clay.'' --Cowper. [1913 Webster]
5. Niggardly; closefisted; miserly. --Ainsworth. [1913 Webster]
6. Holding stoutly to one's opinion or purpose; obstinate; stubborn. [1913 Webster] -- {Te*na"cious*ly}, adv. -- {Te*na"cious*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.