Emily Dickinson Lexicon

RO-BUST', a. [L. robustus, from robur, strength.]

1. Strong; lusty; sinewy; muscular; vigorous; forceful; as, a robust body; robust youth. It implies full flesh and sound health.
2. Sound; vigorous; as, robust health.
3. Violent; rough; rude. Romp loving miss / Is haul'd about in gallantry robust. – Thomson.
4. Requiring strength; as, robust employment. – Locke. Note. This is one of the words in which we observe a strong tendency in practice to accentuate the first syllable, as in access; and there are many situations of the word in which this is the preferable pronunciation. Robustious is extremely vulgar, and in the United States nearly obsolete.