[Idiom] request to clear the doubt

Status
Not open for further replies.

corum

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Hungarian
Home Country
Hungary
Current Location
Hungary
:hi:
When a situation is becoming difficult, problems begin to take control of the situation.
 

zainab shah

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Urdu
Home Country
Saudi Arabia
Current Location
Pakistan
Please explain the idiom 'when going gets tough ,the tough gets going"
My interpretation of this beautiful quote is:
"when the going gets tough”- when you are at a troubled time in your life, when there is high stress, or when nothing seems to be going your way.. “The tough get going” that is when the people with the biggest hearts, biggest derermination fight through the harsh times, never give up, and reveal their real character.
Now let me know if anyone agrees with me.Thanks:up:
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Good explanations above!

Note the correct saying though:

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Be careful with your comma placement. You do not put a space before a comma, but you do put one after it!
 

Raymott

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Australia
Current Location
Australia
My interpretation of this beautiful quote is:
"when the going gets tough”- when you are at a troubled time in your life, when there is high stress, or when nothing seems to be going your way.. “The tough get going” that is when the people with the biggest hearts, biggest derermination fight through the harsh times, never give up, and reveal their real character.
Now let me know if anyone agrees with me.Thanks:up:
Yes, you're right.
 

bertietheblue

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2010
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
This idiom is a cliche (and a painfully long one at that) popularised by this awful Billy Ocean song:

YouTube - billy ocean when the going gets tough

I would avoid it, unless you want to play around with it:

"When the going gets tough, the tough get nasty!"

'When the going gets tough' by itself is tolerable - it simply means when things gets difficult. I've seen it a few times in headlines during these troubled times.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top