rough

The definition of rough is coarse or uneven, or tough or difficult.

(adjective)

  1. An example of rough is the feeling of a bumpy road.
  2. An example of rough is going through depression.

Rough is defined as something that is uneven or coarse.

(noun)

An example of rough is the tall grasses around a golf course.

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See rough in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

    1. not smooth or level; having bumps, projections, etc.; uneven: a rough surface
    2. not easily traveled over or through because rocky, overgrown, wild, etc.: rough country
  1. shaggy or bristly: an animal with a rough coat
  2. characterized by violent action, motion, agitation, disturbance, or irregularity; specif.,
    1. stormy; tempestuous: rough weather
    2. boisterous or disorderly: rough play
  3. harsh, rude, brutal, etc.; not gentle or mild: a rough temper
  4. sounding harsh; discordant; jarring
  5. tasting harsh or astringent: rough wine
  6. coarse, as texture, cloth, food, etc.
  7. coarse in manner, tastes, etc.; lacking refinement or culture: rough men, rough language
  8. lacking refinements, comforts, and conveniences: the rough life of a pioneer
  9. not refined, polished, or prepared; natural, crude, etc.: a rough diamond
  10. not finished, elaborated, perfected, etc.: a rough sketch
  11. not worked out in detail; without claim to be exact or complete; approximate: a rough estimate
  12. requiring muscular energy rather than skill or intelligence: rough labor
  13. Informal difficult, severe, or disagreeable: a rough time
  14. Phonet. articulated with an aspirate; having the sound (h)

Origin: ME ruh, rugh < OE ruh, akin to Ger rauh < IE *reuk < base *reu-, to tear, tear out (> rug, rotten): prob. basic sense “hairy, woolly”

noun

  1. rough ground
  2. rough material or condition
  3. the rough part, aspect, etc. of something
  4. ☆ a rough sketch or draft
  5. Chiefly Brit. a rough person; rowdy; tough
  6. Golf any part of the course where grass, weeds, etc. are allowed to grow, uncut, forming a hazard or obstacle

adverb

  1. in a rough manner; roughly
  2. Brit. without shelter; outdoors: to sleep rough

transitive verb

  1. to make rough; roughen: often with up
    1. to handle or treat roughly or brutally: usually with up
    2. Football, etc. to subject (an opponent) to intentional and unnecessary roughness
  2. to make, fashion, sketch, shape, or cut roughly: usually with in or out: to rough out a scheme
  3. to apply some preparatory or preliminary process or treatment to

intransitive verb

  1. Rare to become rough
  2. to behave roughly: a penalty for roughing

Related Forms:

See rough in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective rough·er, rough·est
  1. Having a surface marked by irregularities, protuberances, or ridges; not smooth.
  2. Coarse or shaggy to the touch: a rough scratchy blanket.
  3. a. Difficult to travel over or through: the rough terrain of the highlands.
    b. Characterized by violent motion; turbulent: rough waters.
    c. Difficult to endure or live through, especially because of harsh or inclement weather: a rough winter.
    d. Unpleasant or difficult: had a rough time during the exam.
  4. a. Boisterous, unruly, uncouth, or rowdy: ran with a rough crowd.
    b. Lacking polish or finesse: rough manners.
  5. Characterized by carelessness or force, as in manipulating: broke the crystal through rough handling.
  6. Harsh to the ear: a rough raspy sound.
  7. Being in a natural state: rough diamonds.
  8. Not perfected, completed, or fully detailed: a rough drawing; rough carpentry.
noun
  1. a. Rugged overgrown terrain.
    b. Sports The part of a golf course left unmowed and uncultivated.
  2. The difficult or disagreeable aspect, part, or side: observed politics in the rough when working as an intern on Capitol Hill.
  3. Something in an unfinished or hastily worked-out state.
  4. A crude unmannered person; a rowdy.
transitive verb roughed, rough·ing, roughs
  1. a. To treat roughly or with physical violence: roughed up his opponent.
    b. Sports To treat (an opposing player) with unnecessary roughness, often in violation of the rules: was ejected from the game for roughing the passer.
  2. To prepare or indicate in an unfinished form: rough out a house plan.
adverb
In a rough manner; roughly: The engine began to run rough and faltered.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English rūh

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Related Forms:

  • roughˈer noun
  • roughˈly adverb
  • roughˈness noun

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