Arduous — Ar du*ous (?; 135), a. [L. arduus steep, high; akin to Ir. ard high, height.] 1. Steep and lofty, in a literal sense; hard to climb. [1913 Webster] Those arduous paths they trod. Pope. [1913 Webster] 2. Attended with great labor, like the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
arduous — (adj.) 1530s, hard to accomplish, difficult to do, from L. arduus high, steep, also figuratively, difficult, from PIE root *eredh to grow, high (see ORTHO (Cf. ortho )). Literal sense of high, steep, difficult to climb, attested in English from… … Etymology dictionary
arduous — *hard, difficult Analogous words: laborious, toilsome (see corresponding nouns at WORK): exhausting, wearying or wearisome, tiring, fatiguing (see corresponding verbs at TIRE): *onerous, exacting, oppressive Antonyms: light, facile Contrasted… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
arduous — [adj] difficult, hard to endure backbreaking, burdensome, exhausting, fatiguing, formidable, grueling, harsh, heavy, labored, laborious, murder, no picnic*, onerous, painful, punishing, rigorous, rough, severe, strenuous, taxing, tiring, toilsome … New thesaurus
arduous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ difficult and tiring. DERIVATIVES arduously adverb arduousness noun. ORIGIN Latin arduus steep, difficult … English terms dictionary
arduous — [är′jo͞o əs] adj. [L arduus, steep < IE * er(ə)dh , high, to grow (> L arbor, tree) < base * er , to set in motion, RUN] 1. difficult to do; laborious; onerous 2. using much energy; strenuous 3. steep; hard to climb SYN. HARD arduously… … English World dictionary
arduous — arduously, adv. arduousness, n. /ahr jooh euhs/ or, esp. Brit., /ahr dyooh /, adj. 1. requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult: an arduous undertaking. 2. requiring or using much energy and vigor; strenuous: making an arduous effort. 3.… … Universalium
arduous — ar|du|ous [ˈa:djuəs US ˈa:rdʒuəs] adj [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: arduus high, steep, difficult ] involving a lot of strength and effort arduous task/work ▪ the arduous task of loading all the boxes into the van arduous journey/voyage ▪ an … Dictionary of contemporary English
arduous — ar•du•ous [[t]ˈɑr dʒu əs[/t]] esp. brit. [[t]ˈɑr dyu [/t]] adj. 1) requiring great exertion; laborious: arduous tasks[/ex] 2) using much energy; strenuous: an arduous effort[/ex] 3) hard to climb; steep: an arduous path[/ex] 4) full of hardships; … From formal English to slang
arduous — /ˈadʒuəs / (say ahjoohuhs) adjective 1. requiring great exertion; laborious; strenuous: an even more arduous campaign; an arduous climb to the top. 2. hard to endure; severe; full of hardships: *We were dealing through interpreters with people… …