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  Strong \Strong\, a. [Compar. Stronger; superl. Strongest.]
     [AS. strang, strong; akin to D. & G. streng strict, rigorous,
     OHG. strengi strong, brave, harsh, Icel. strangr strong,
     severe, Dan. streng, Sw. str["a]ng strict, severe. Cf.
     Strength, Stretch, String.]
     1. Having active physical power, or great physical power to
        act; having a power of exerting great bodily force;
        vigorous.
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              That our oxen may be strong to labor. --Ps. cxliv.
                                                    14.
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              Orses the strong to greater strength must yield.
                                                    --Dryden.
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     2. Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or
        endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong
        constitution; strong health.
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     3. Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to
        withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily
        subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a
        strong fortress or town.
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     4. Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a
        strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea.
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     5. Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong
        house, or company of merchants.
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     6. Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength
        or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong.
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     7. Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible;
        impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind
        was strong from the northeast; a strong tide.
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     8. Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind
        or imagination; striking or superior of the kind;
        powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong
        reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong
        language.
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     9. Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong
        partisan; a strong Whig or Tory.
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              Her mother, ever strong against that match. --Shak.
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     10. Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular
         quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or
         tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee.
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     11. Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol;
         intoxicating; as, strong liquors.
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     12. Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors,
         etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent.
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     13. Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat. --Heb. v. 12.
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     14. Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered;
         as, a strong custom; a strong belief.
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     15. Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent.
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               He had offered up prayers and supplications with
               strong crying and tears.             --Heb. v. 7.
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     16. Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the
         mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong
         mind, memory, judgment, or imagination.
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               I was stronger in prophecy than in criticism.
                                                    --Dryden.
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     17. Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful.
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               Like her sweet voice is thy harmonious song,
               As high, as sweet, as easy, and as strong. --E.
                                                    Smith.
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     18. (Stock Exchange) Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a
         strong market.
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     19. (Gram.)
         (a) Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its
             preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root
             vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the
             addition of -en (with or without a change of the root
             vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven;
             break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to
             weak, or regular. See Weak.
         (b) Applied to forms in Anglo-Saxon, etc., which retain
             the old declensional endings. In the Teutonic
             languages the vowel stems have held the original
             endings most firmly, and are called strong; the stems
             in -n are called weak other constant stems conform,
             or are irregular. --F. A. March.
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     Strong conjugation (Gram.), the conjugation of a strong
        verb; -- called also old conjugation, or irregular
        conjugation, and distinguished from the weak
        conjugation or regular conjugation.
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     Note: Strong is often used in the formation of
           self-explaining compounds; as, strong-backed,
           strong-based, strong-bodied, strong-colored,
           strong-fisted, strong-handed, strong-ribbed,
           strong-smelling, strong-voiced, etc.
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     Syn: Vigorous; powerful; stout; solid; firm; hardy; muscular;
          forcible; cogent; valid. See Robust.
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