difficult

difficult
difficultly, adv.
/dif"i kult', -keuhlt/, adj.
1. not easily or readily done; requiring much labor, skill, or planning to be performed successfully; hard: a difficult job.
2. hard to understand or solve: a difficult problem.
3. hard to deal with or get on with: a difficult pupil.
4. hard to please or satisfy: a difficult employer.
5. hard to persuade or induce; stubborn: a difficult old man.
6. disadvantageous; trying; hampering: The operation was performed under the most difficult conditions.
7. fraught with hardship, esp. financial hardship: We saw some difficult times during the depression years.
[1350-1400; ME, back formation from DIFFICULTY]
Syn. 1. arduous. See hard. 2. intricate, perplexing, involved, knotty. 4. particular, finical, fussy. 5. obdurate, uncompromising.
Ant. 1. easy. 2. simple.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Difficult — Dif fi*cult, a. [From {Difficulty}.] 1. Hard to do or to make; beset with difficulty; attended with labor, trouble, or pains; not easy; arduous. [1913 Webster] Note: Difficult implies the notion that considerable mental effort or skill is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • difficult — I adjective arduous, attended by obstacles, awkward, beset with difficulty, beyond one s reach, bothersome, burdensome, complex, complicated, convoluted, difficile, difficilis, encompassed with difficulties, enigmatic, entangled by difficulties,… …   Law dictionary

  • difficult — [adj1] hard on someone; hard to do ambitious, arduous, backbreaker*, bothersome, burdensome, challenging, crucial, demanding, difficile, easier said than done*, effortful, exacting, formidable, galling, Gargantuan*, hardwon, heavy, Herculean*,… …   New thesaurus

  • Difficult — Dif fi*cult, v. t. To render difficult; to impede; to perplex. [R.] Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • difficult — c.1400, apparently a back formation from DIFFICULTY (Cf. difficulty). French has difficile, Latin difficilis. Of persons, hard to please, from 1580s …   Etymology dictionary

  • difficult — *hard, arduous Analogous words: perplexing, puzzling, mystifying (see PUZZLE): intricate, involved, complicated, *complex, knotty: *obscure, enigmatic, cryptic: exacting, *onerous, burdensome Antonyms: simple Contrasted words: *easy, facile,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • difficult — ► ADJECTIVE 1) needing much effort or skill to accomplish, deal with, or understand. 2) not easy to please or satisfy; awkward …   English terms dictionary

  • difficult — [dif′i kult΄, dif′ikəlt] adj. [ME, back form. < DIFFICULTY] 1. hard to do, make, manage, understand, etc.; involving trouble or requiring extra effort, skill, or thought 2. hard to satisfy, persuade, please, etc. SYN. HARD difficultly adv …   English World dictionary

  • difficult — dif|fi|cult W1S1 [ˈdıfıkəlt] adj [Date: 1300 1400; Origin: difficulty] 1.) hard to do, understand, or deal with ≠ ↑easy ▪ a difficult question ▪ an immensely difficult task ▪ Was the exam very difficult? ▪ It s difficult to see how more savings… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • difficult — dif|fi|cult [ dıfıkəlt ] adjective *** 1. ) not easy to do, deal with, or understand: HARD: Choosing the winner was a difficult task. The exam questions were too difficult. difficult to do something: It s difficult to say what time I will get… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • difficult */*/*/ — UK [ˈdɪfɪk(ə)lt] / US [ˈdɪfɪkəlt] adjective 1) not easy to do, deal with, or understand Choosing the winner was a difficult task. The exam questions were too difficult. it is difficult to do something: It s difficult to say what time I will get… …   English dictionary

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