rʌf adj., adv., n., & v. --adj. 1 a having an
uneven or
irregular surface,
not smooth or
level or polished. b
Tennis applied to
the side of a racket
from which the twisted
gut projects. 2 (of ground,
country, etc.) having
many bumps, obstacles, etc. 3 a
hairy,
shaggy. b (of cloth)
coarse in
texture. 4 a (of a
person or behaviour) not
mild or
quiet or
gentle;
boisterous,
unrestrained (rough manners; rough play). b (of
language etc.) coarse,
indelicate. c (of
wine etc.)
sharp or
harsh in
taste. 5 (of the
sea,
weather, etc.)
violent,
stormy. 6
disorderly,
riotous (a rough
part of town). 7 harsh,
insensitive,
inconsiderate (rough words; rough treatment). 8 a
unpleasant,
severe, demanding (had a rough time). b
unfortunate,
unreasonable,
undeserved (had rough luck). c (foll. by on)
hard or
unfair towards. 9
lacking finish, elaboration,
comfort, etc. (rough lodgings; a rough welcome). 10
incomplete,
rudimentary (a rough
attempt; a rough makeshift). 11 a
inexact,
approximate,
preliminary (a rough
estimate; a rough sketch). b (of
stationery etc.)
for use in
writing rough notes etc. 12 colloq. a
ill,
unwell (am
feeling rough). b depressed, dejected. --adv. in a rough
manner (the
land should be ploughed rough;
play rough). --n. 1 (usu. prec. by the) a hard part or
aspect of
life;
hardship (take the rough
with the smooth). 2 rough ground (over rough
and smooth). 3 a rough or violent person (met a
bunch of roughs). 4
Golf rough ground
off the
fairway between tee and
green. 5 an
unfinished or
provisional or
natural state (have
written it in rough; shaped from the rough). 6 (prec. by the) the
general way or
tendency (is
true in the rough). --v.tr. 1 (foll. by up)
ruffle (feathers,
hair, etc.) by
rubbing against the
grain. 2 a (foll. by out)
shape or
plan roughly. b (foll. by in)
sketch roughly. 3
give the
first shaping to (a
gun,
lens, etc.). ørough-and-ready rough or
crude but
effective; not
elaborate or
over-particular. rough-and-tumble adj. irregular, scrambling, disorderly. --n. a
haphazard fight; a
scuffle. rough
breathing see BREATHING. rough
coat a first coat of
plaster applied to a surface. rough
copy 1 a first or
original draft. 2 a copy of a
picture etc.
showing only the
essential features. rough deal hard or unfair
treatment. rough
diamond 1 an
uncut diamond. 2 a person of
good nature but rough manners. rough-dry (-dries, -dried)
dry (clothes)
without ironing. the rough
edge (or side) of one's
tongue severe or harsh words. rough-handle
treat or
handle roughly. rough-hew (past part. -hewed or -hewn) shape
out roughly; give crude
form to. rough-hewn
uncouth,
unrefined. rough
house sl. a
disturbance or row; boisterous play. rough-house v. sl. 1 tr. handle (a person) roughly. 2 intr.
make a disturbance;
act violently. rough it do without
basic comforts. rough
justice 1 treatment
that is approximately fair. 2 treatment that is not at
all fair. rough passage 1 a
crossing over rough sea. 2 a
difficult time or
experience. rough
ride a difficult time or experience. rough-rider a person
who breaks in or can ride
unbroken horses. rough
stuff colloq. boisterous or violent
behaviour. rough tongue a
habit of rudeness in
speaking. rough
trade sl. a
tough or sadistic
element among male homosexuals. rough up sl. treat (a person) with
violence;
attack violently. rough
work 1 preliminary or provisional work. 2 colloq. violence. 3 a
task requiring the use of force.
sleep rough sleep
outdoors, or not in a
proper bed. øøroughness n. [OE ruh f. WG]