rough
rough Lexical Profile
rough Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Having an uneven or irregular surface; not smooth or level.
"The carpenter sanded the rough edges of the oak table until the wood felt completely smooth."
Not exact or fully detailed; preliminary or approximate.
"The architect presented a rough sketch of the proposed library floor plan to the committee."
Not gentle or careful; characterized by harshness, violence, or force.
"The referee issued a warning after the players engaged in overly rough tackling during the match."
Difficult, unpleasant, or demanding to endure.
"She had a rough first week at her new job while learning the complex software system."
Agitated, stormy, or turbulent (especially of weather or water).
"The ferry crossing was delayed for several hours due to rough seas and gale-force winds."
• noun
The part of a golf course bordering the fairway where the grass is longer and unmown.
"His tee shot sliced sharply to the right and landed deep in the rough."
An unfinished, natural, or preliminary state, or a preliminary sketch or draft.
"The illustrator showed the editor several roughs before finalizing the book cover design."
Hardship, difficulty, or the unpleasant aspects of life.
"True partners stick together and take the rough with the smooth."
• verb
To live without customary comforts or conveniences (used in the phrase 'rough it').
"Instead of booking a hotel, we decided to rough it in a small tent by the lake."
To prepare or shape something in a preliminary or unfinished form (usually followed by 'out' or 'in').
"The carpenter roughed out the basic frame of the cabinet before cutting the detailed joints."
To make a surface uneven, coarse, or shaggy.
"The potter roughed the edges of the clay before attaching the handle to the mug."
• adverb
In a harsh, coarse, or violent manner.
"The coach warned the team that anyone playing rough would be immediately benched."
British Outdoors or without standard shelter and basic comforts (used especially in 'sleep rough').
"Local charities provide warm blankets and hot meals to people sleeping rough during the winter."
• Rhymes for rough
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'ruh', meaning coarse, hairy, or uncultivated, from Proto-Germanic '*ruhwaz', which is ultimately derived from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to tear' or 'to pluck'.