Originated on Taste of Chaos 2007 in tour catering, it has since spread to Warped Tour and Family Values; it's also been popularized among high school students in Shanghai, China by an American grad student teaching English/History classes there.
Initially used to describe life on the road (hard work, constant annoyances, temperature extremes), it also checkmates complainers by referencing the universal toughness of life (and says, "I don't care".)
Can also be said to oneself after failing / not getting what you want / getting in trouble.
Initially used to describe life on the road (hard work, constant annoyances, temperature extremes), it also checkmates complainers by referencing the universal toughness of life (and says, "I don't care".)
Can also be said to oneself after failing / not getting what you want / getting in trouble.
"So this stagehand came back to the kitchen and said he didn't get enough to eat"
"What'd you do?"
"I said, LOOK BUD, it's tough all over"
______________
(whiner droning on about work nonsense during cartoon time on the bus):
"such a bad day, im so pissed off at this guy cause..."
"yeah it's tough all over, bud...now shut the fuck up...Aqua Teen"
______________
"did you hear what happened to Fleetwood?"
"what happened to Fleetwood?"
"he got pulled over and the cops found 30 ecstasy tabs"
"Fuckin' ouch! Tough all over bud!"
"Fuckin' tough all around"
"What'd you do?"
"I said, LOOK BUD, it's tough all over"
______________
(whiner droning on about work nonsense during cartoon time on the bus):
"such a bad day, im so pissed off at this guy cause..."
"yeah it's tough all over, bud...now shut the fuck up...Aqua Teen"
______________
"did you hear what happened to Fleetwood?"
"what happened to Fleetwood?"
"he got pulled over and the cops found 30 ecstasy tabs"
"Fuckin' ouch! Tough all over bud!"
"Fuckin' tough all around"
by Rumbleminz October 12, 2007

When facing adversity, some individuals rise up to meet the challenge. This antonym of a more well known phrase describes much the opposite—a person who cannot handle pressure and crumples (buckles) in the face of hardship, frequently leading to their own failure.
"I would say 'when the going get tough, the tough get going', but even though she studied for weeks, when Anna went in for the final test, she totally blew it."
"I'm not surprised, it's Anna after all. When the going gets tough, she buckles like a belt."
("When the going gets tough they buckle like a belt used" when in a sentence may include pronounces, or a name instead.)
"I'm not surprised, it's Anna after all. When the going gets tough, she buckles like a belt."
("When the going gets tough they buckle like a belt used" when in a sentence may include pronounces, or a name instead.)
by AmraKamra May 6, 2023

The act of dropping a sudden atomic F-bomb in the middle of no where. This is derived from an infamous scene being cut into in the beginning of a 2007 documentary, Egomaniac.
by Joe le Fucker August 24, 2022

When you are a burly lumberjack that pretty much benches alligators…. Though you are sort of soft on the inside like a pudding pie…. Aaaand your girl picks you out some reeeeally manly socks that happen to have that very phrase on them… along with pink camo.
Friend: umm are those chick socks?
Lumberjack man: fuck no, dude socks all the way…. Right babe?
Girlfriend: chyeah, dude socks for sure….
Later on……..
girlfriend: umm hey those socks say darn tough on them….
Lumberjack man: faaack…… they are girl socks cause dudes don’t say darn.
Lumberjack man: fuck no, dude socks all the way…. Right babe?
Girlfriend: chyeah, dude socks for sure….
Later on……..
girlfriend: umm hey those socks say darn tough on them….
Lumberjack man: faaack…… they are girl socks cause dudes don’t say darn.
by ℬℴ𝓃𝒾ℯ𝓇ℯ-ℊ𝒶𝓇𝒶ℊℯ(O.O) April 29, 2025

Someone who acts tough or hardcore through a telephone or computer but lacks the courage to act accordingly in person. Telephone Tough Guy
Todd is a coward in person but acts like he is Mike Tyson over the telephone/computer, he is a real telephone tough guy.
by Markizel May 19, 2019

Synonymous with 'Hard Luck'
by lols4u1 June 12, 2012
