tosto

tough; hard

adjective TOH-stoh Rare

Origin: Latin tostus (roasted, hardened), past participle of torrere

Also means

right away (archaic/literary)

Usage Note

Tosto in modern colloquial Italian means tough, gutsy, or hard to deal with ('un tipo tosto' = a tough character). In older or literary Italian it meant 'soon' or 'right away' — a false-friend trap for readers of classic texts. The two meanings rarely overlap in contemporary usage; in conversation the 'tough/bold' sense completely dominates.

Examples

"È un tipo tosto, non si arrende mai."

Natural Translation

He's a tough guy, he never gives up.

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