What does "bad-ass wives" exactly mean? Why did "bad-ass" come to mean "tough and aggressive"? [duplicate]
Solution 1:
The full Oxford English Dictionary has, I think, a clearer and more complete definition of the term as an adjective:
Belligerent or intimidating; ruthless; tough. Also as a general term of approval: formidable, superlative (cf. bad adj. 13)
and as a noun:
A tough, aggressive, intimidating, or uncompromising person
Following the reference to bad gives us:
Originally in African-American usage. Of a person: (originally) dangerous or menacing to a degree which inspires awe or admiration; impressively tough, uncompromising, or combative; (in later use also) possessing other desirable attributes to an impressive degree; esp. formidably skilled.
As Thursagen has pointed out, the phrase bad-ass (or, as the OED prefers, badass) goes back to the 1950s. The earliest citation for the adjectival form is:
1955 J. Blake Let. 28 Dec. in Joint (1971) ii. 110 Wanted to be a hard-nose badass type.
But: Sarcastic examples came along soon thereafter. Under the noun form we find:
1956 Amer. Speech 31 191 A marine who postures toughness is sarcastically labeled a badass.
Given a culture that finds toughness and aggression desirable or impressive qualities, there's not much of semantic leap between "impressively tough, uncompromising, or combative" and "formidably skilled" or "formidable, superlative."
In your examples, yes, I think the meaning of "bad-ass wives" and "that's pretty bad-ass" is pretty much the same: impressive and formidable, and perhaps also intimidating. The wives you listed could all be described in that way, and also as tough and aggressive. I definitely don't think the term was being used sarcastically; like Thursagen, I think it was intended positively and admiringly.
Solution 2:
Wiktionary defines "bad-ass" as:
1.cool, awesome, heroic, admirable
Dictionary.com gives the origin:
badass "tough guy," 1950s U.S. slang, from bad + ass (2).
Is the term being used in a positive or negative manner? Wendi is highly admired. Queen Cleopatra has gone down in history as an immortal figure. Michelle Obama is seen as a great woman with decisive skills.
I think it's being used in the second sense that you gave, "formidable strength and skill", meaning that these women are admirable and heroic due to what they have done.