Stubborn

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Stubborn \Stub"born\, a. [OE. stoburn, stiborn; probably fr. AS.
     styb a stub. See {Stub}.]
     Firm as a stub or stump; stiff; unbending; unyielding;
     persistent; hence, unreasonably obstinate in will or opinion;
     not yielding to reason or persuasion; refractory; harsh; --
     said of persons and things; as, stubborn wills; stubborn ore;


     a stubborn oak; as stubborn as a mule. "Bow, stubborn knees."
     --Shak. "Stubborn attention and more than common
     application." --Locke. "Stubborn Stoics." --Swift.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And I was young and full of ragerie [wantonness]
           Stubborn and strong, and jolly as a pie. --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           These heretics be so stiff and stubborn. --Sir T. More.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Your stubborn usage of the pope.         --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Obstinate; inflexible; obdurate; headstrong; stiff;
          hardy; firm; refractory; intractable; rugged;
          contumacious; heady.
  
     Usage: {Stubborn}, {Obstinate}. Obstinate is used of either
            active or passive persistence in one's views or
            conduct, in spite of the wishes of others. Stubborn
            describes an extreme degree of passive obstinacy. --
            {Stub"born*ly}, adv. -- {Stub"born*ness}, n.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  stubborn
       adj 1: tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness
              to yield [ant: {docile}]
       2: not responding to treatment; "a stubborn infection"; "a
          refractory case of acne" [syn: {refractory}]
       3: difficult to treat or deal with; "stubborn rust stains"; "a
          stubborn case of acne"
       4: persisting in a reactionary stand [syn: {obstinate}, {unregenerate}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  189 Moby Thesaurus words for "stubborn":
     adamant, adamantine, adherent, adhesive, assiduous, balking, balky,
     bigoted, bulldogged, bulldoggish, bulldoggy, bulletheaded,
     bullheaded, cantankerous, cartilaginous, case-hardened, chewy,
     clingy, cohesive, constant, continuing, contumacious, coriaceous,
     determined, diligent, dogged, dogmatic, dour, durable, enduring,
     faithful, fanatic, fibrous, firm, fundamentalist, gluey, glutinous,
     gristly, gummy, hard, hardheaded, hardy, headstrong, hidebound,
     immovable, immutable, impliable, inalterable, indefatigable,
     indomitable, inductile, industrious, inelastic, inexorable,
     inextensible, inextensile, inextensional, inflexible, insistent,
     insubordinate, intolerant, intractable, intractile, intransigent,
     invincible, iron, ironbound, ironclad, ironhanded, irresilient,
     lasting, leatherlike, leathery, loyal, mulish, muscle-bound,
     never-tiring, nonelastic, nonstretchable, obdurate, obstinate,
     opinionated, ornery, orthodox, overzealous, patient,
     patient as Job, permanent, perseverant, persevering, persistent,
     persisting, pertinacious, pigheaded, plodding, plugging,
     preoccupied, procrustean, purist, puristic, puritan, puritanic,
     rapt, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, relentless, resistant,
     resolute, restive, rigid, rigorist, rigoristic, rigorous,
     rockbound, ropy, sedulous, self-adhesive, self-willed, set, sinewy,
     single-minded, sleepless, slogging, stable, steadfast, steady,
     stickable, sticky, stiff, stiff-necked, straightlaced, straitlaced,
     stringy, strong, strong-willed, strongheaded, stunt, sulky, sullen,
     tacky, tenacious, tireless, tough, tough as leather, unabating,
     unalterable, unbending, uncompromising, unconquerable,
     uncooperative, undaunted, undiscouraged, undrooping, unextendible,
     unextensible, unfailing, unfaltering, unflagging, unflexible,
     unflinching, ungiving, unintermitting, uninterrupted, unlimber,
     unmalleable, unnodding, unpliable, unpliant, unregenerate,
     unrelaxing, unrelenting, unremitting, unsleeping, unswerving,
     untiring, untractable, unwavering, unwearied, unwearying,
     unwinking, unyielding, utterly attentive, vigorous, viscid,
     wayward, weariless, willful, wiry