1having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks:she cut through the water with her strong arms
[attributive] able to perform a specified action well and powerfully:he was not a strong swimmer
exerting great force:a strong current
powerful and difficult to resist or defeat:a strong leaderthe competition was too strongthe company was in a strong position to negotiate a deal
(of an argument or case) likely to succeed because of sound reasoning or convincing evidence:there is a strong argument for decentralization
powerfully affecting the mind, senses, or emotions:his imagery made a strong impression on the critics
(of language or actions) forceful and extreme, especially excessively or unacceptably so:the government were urged to take strong measures against the perpetrators of violencea play full of strong language
2able to withstand force, pressure, or wear:cotton is strong, hard-wearing, and easy to handle
not easily affected by disease or hardship:despite his strong constitution, constant worry and exposure to the elements had worn him down
not easily disturbed, upset, or affected:driving on these motorways requires strong nervesonly a strong will enabled him to survive
firmly held or established:he was a man of strong, though unconventional, religious beliefsthey had established a strong and trusting relationship
(of a market) having steadily high or rising prices.
3very intense:a strong smell
(of something seen or heard) not soft or muted; clear or prominent:she should wear strong colours
(of food or its flavour) distinctive and pungent:strong cheese
(of a solution or drink) containing a large proportion of a particular substance; concentrated:a cup of strong coffeestrong lager
Chemistry (of an acid or base) fully ionized into cations and anions in solution; having (respectively) a very low or a very high pH.
4used after a number to indicate the size of a group:a hostile crowd several thousands strong
5 Grammar denoting a class of verbs in Germanic languages that form the past tense and past participle by a change of vowel within the stem rather than by addition of a suffix (e.g. swim, swam, swum).
6 Physics relating to or denoting the strongest of the known kinds of force between particles, which acts between nucleons and other hadrons when closer than about 10−13 cm (so binding protons in a nucleus despite the repulsion due to their charge), and which conserves strangeness, parity, and isospin.
come on strong
informal
1behave aggressively or assertively, especially in making sexual advances to someone:she came on so strong that she frightened him off
2improve one’s position considerably:he came on strong towards the end of the round
going strong
informal continuing to be healthy, vigorous, or successful:the programme is still going strong after twelve series
strong on
good at:he is strong on comedy
possessing large quantities of:our pizza wasn’t strong on pine nuts
strong meat
British ideas or language likely to be found unacceptably forceful or extreme:this is pretty strong meat for this hour of the morning
one's strong point
something at which one excels:arithmetic had never been my strong point
