rough
♦ rough /r'ʌf/ (rougher roughest roughs roughing roughed)
1 [ADJ]
If a surface is rough, it is uneven and not smooth.
His hands were rough and calloused, from years of karate practice...
≠ smooth
● roughness [N-UNCOUNT]
She rested her cheek against the roughness of his jacket.
2 [ADJ]
You say that people or their actions are rough when they use too much force and not enough care or gentleness.
Rugby's a rough game at the best of times...
≠ gentle
● roughly [ADV]
A hand roughly pushed him aside.
● roughness [N-UNCOUNT]
He regretted his roughness.
3 [ADJ]
A rough area, city, school, or other place is unpleasant and dangerous because there is a lot of violence or crime there.
It was quite a rough part of our town.
4 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
If you say that someone has had a rough time, you mean that they have had some difficult or unpleasant experiences.
All women have a rough time in our society...
= tough
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If you feel rough, you feel ill. (BRIT INFORMAL)
The virus won't go away and the lad is still feeling a bit rough.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A rough calculation or guess is approximately correct, but not exact.
We were only able to make a rough estimate of how much fuel would be required...
= approximate
● roughly [ADV] ADV with cl/group
Gambling and tourism pay roughly half the entire state budget...
= approximately
7 [ADJ]
If you give someone a rough idea, description, or drawing of something, you indicate only the most important features, without much detail.
I've got a rough idea of what he looks like...
● roughly [ADV] ADV with cl/group, ADV after v
He knew roughly what was about to be said...
Roughly speaking, a scientific humanist is somebody who believes in science and in humanity but not in God.
8 [ADJ]
You can say that something is rough when it is not neat and well made.
...a rough wooden table.
● roughly [ADV] ADV with v
Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the casserole.
9 [ADJ]
If the sea or the weather at sea is rough, the weather is windy or stormy and there are very big waves.
A fishing vessel and a cargo ship collided in rough seas.
≠ calm
10 [ADV] ADV after v
When people sleep or live rough, they sleep out of doors, usually because they have no home. (BRIT)
It makes me so sad when I see young people begging or sleeping rough on the streets.
11 [VERB] V it
If you have to rough it, you have to live without the possessions and comforts that you normally have.
You won't be roughing it; each room comes equipped with a telephone and a 3-channel radio.
12
rough justice: see justicerough and ready
also rough-and-ready
1 [ADJ]
A rough and ready solution or method is one that is rather simple and not very exact because it has been thought of or done in a hurry.
Here is a rough and ready measurement.
2 [ADJ]
A rough and ready person is not very polite or gentle.
...rough and ready soldiers.rough and tum|ble
also rough-and-tumble
1 [N-UNCOUNT] oft the N of n
You can use rough and tumble to refer to a situation in which the people involved try hard to get what they want, and do not worry about upsetting or harming others, and you think this is acceptable and normal.
...the rough-and-tumble of political combat.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Rough and tumble is physical playing that involves noisy and slightly violent behaviour.
He enjoys rough and tumble play.
1 [ADJ]
If a surface is rough, it is uneven and not smooth.
His hands were rough and calloused, from years of karate practice...
≠ smooth
● roughness [N-UNCOUNT]
She rested her cheek against the roughness of his jacket.
2 [ADJ]
You say that people or their actions are rough when they use too much force and not enough care or gentleness.
Rugby's a rough game at the best of times...
≠ gentle
● roughly [ADV]
A hand roughly pushed him aside.
● roughness [N-UNCOUNT]
He regretted his roughness.
3 [ADJ]
A rough area, city, school, or other place is unpleasant and dangerous because there is a lot of violence or crime there.
It was quite a rough part of our town.
4 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
If you say that someone has had a rough time, you mean that they have had some difficult or unpleasant experiences.
All women have a rough time in our society...
= tough
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ
If you feel rough, you feel ill. (BRIT INFORMAL)
The virus won't go away and the lad is still feeling a bit rough.
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A rough calculation or guess is approximately correct, but not exact.
We were only able to make a rough estimate of how much fuel would be required...
= approximate
● roughly [ADV] ADV with cl/group
Gambling and tourism pay roughly half the entire state budget...
= approximately
7 [ADJ]
If you give someone a rough idea, description, or drawing of something, you indicate only the most important features, without much detail.
I've got a rough idea of what he looks like...
● roughly [ADV] ADV with cl/group, ADV after v
He knew roughly what was about to be said...
Roughly speaking, a scientific humanist is somebody who believes in science and in humanity but not in God.
8 [ADJ]
You can say that something is rough when it is not neat and well made.
...a rough wooden table.
● roughly [ADV] ADV with v
Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the casserole.
9 [ADJ]
If the sea or the weather at sea is rough, the weather is windy or stormy and there are very big waves.
A fishing vessel and a cargo ship collided in rough seas.
≠ calm
10 [ADV] ADV after v
When people sleep or live rough, they sleep out of doors, usually because they have no home. (BRIT)
It makes me so sad when I see young people begging or sleeping rough on the streets.
11 [VERB] V it
If you have to rough it, you have to live without the possessions and comforts that you normally have.
You won't be roughing it; each room comes equipped with a telephone and a 3-channel radio.
12
rough justice: see justicerough and ready
also rough-and-ready
1 [ADJ]
A rough and ready solution or method is one that is rather simple and not very exact because it has been thought of or done in a hurry.
Here is a rough and ready measurement.
2 [ADJ]
A rough and ready person is not very polite or gentle.
...rough and ready soldiers.rough and tum|ble
also rough-and-tumble
1 [N-UNCOUNT] oft the N of n
You can use rough and tumble to refer to a situation in which the people involved try hard to get what they want, and do not worry about upsetting or harming others, and you think this is acceptable and normal.
...the rough-and-tumble of political combat.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Rough and tumble is physical playing that involves noisy and slightly violent behaviour.
He enjoys rough and tumble play.