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    Jeremy, you're wrong. "intestinal fortitude" is precisely, exactly, indeed - literally - a funny way to say "guts". You know what "intestines" are right? z7sg is correct. – Fattie Aug 18 '11 at 14:37




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  • Thanks for the answer. I like 'tenacity' in your explanation, I think it fits well with what I was expecting. – 719016 Aug 18 '11 at 11:56
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    @Joe Blow Additionally, "implies" doesn't mean the same as "means". A "refusal to change" would imply a "refusal to give up" a course of action, since giving up would be a change. – Samthere Aug 18 '11 at 15:28

I would say the answer is simply "no".

Stubborn quite simply means someone who won't change their mind.



There's really no relation to "stubborn".



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There's more to it, I think... "guts"is a reference to the intestines, which run from the pyloris (at the end of the stomach) to the anus, and, "guts" also is a euphemism for "toughness" or "courage".

The phrase, "intestinal fortitude" takes this one step further, with implications of tenacity and toughness under fire - in dangerous situations, people can lose their nerve, turn tail and run, and in so doing, their fear can even cause them to lose control of their anal sphincter, with the expected result. Someone with "intestinal fortitude" has mastered their fear instinct AND their sphincter, and when the going gets tough, they have the self control to override their animal instinct to **** themselves and run away, and so can stand their ground and prevail.

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I wouldn't characterize this as "stubbornness," but possibly as "perseverance."

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