Rough

Rough (rŭf), a. [Compar. Rougher; superl. Roughest.] [OE. rou?, rou, row, rugh, ruh, AS. rūh; akin to LG. rug, D. rug, D. ruig, ruw, OHG. rūh, G. rauh, rauch; cf. Lith. raukas wrinkle, rukti to wrinkle. √ 18. Cf. Rug, n.] 1. Having inequalities, small ridges, or points, on the surface; not smooth or plain; as, a rough board; a rough stone; rough cloth. Specifically: (a) Not level; having a broken surface; uneven; — said of a piece of land, or of a road. "Rough, uneven ways." Shak.

(b) Not polished; uncut; — said of a gem; as, a rough diamond. (c) Tossed in waves; boisterous; high; — said of a sea or other piece of water.

More unequal than the roughest sea. T. Burnet.

(d) Marked by coarseness; shaggy; ragged; disordered; — said of dress, appearance, or the like; as, a rough coat. "A visage rough." Dryden. "Roughsatyrs." Milton.

2. Hence, figuratively, lacking refinement, gentleness, or polish. Specifically: (a) Not courteous or kind; harsh; rude; uncivil; as, a rough temper.

A fiend, a fury, pitiless and rough. Shak.

A surly boatman, rough as wayes or winds. Prior.

(b) Marked by severity or violence; harsh; hard; as, rough measures or actions.

On the rough edge of battle. Milton.

A quicker and rougher remedy. Clarendon.

Kind words prevent a good deal of that perverseness which rough and imperious usage often produces. Locke.

(c) Loud and hoarse; offensive to the ear; harsh; grating; — said of sound, voice, and the like; as, a rough tone; rough numbers. Pope.

(d) Austere; harsh to the taste; as, rough wine. (e) Tempestuous; boisterous; stormy; as, rough weather; a rough day.

He stayeth his rough wind. Isa. xxvii. 8.

Time and the hour runs through the roughest day. Shak.

(f) Hastily or carelessly done; wanting finish; incomplete; as, a rough estimate; a rough draught.

Rough diamond, an uncut diamond; hence, colloquially, a person of intrinsic worth under a rude exterior. — Rough and ready. (a) Acting with offhand promptness and efficiency. "The rough and ready understanding." Lowell.

(b) Produced offhand. "Some rough and ready theory." Tylor.

Rough, n. 1. Boisterous weather. [Obs.] Fletcher.

2. A rude fellow; a coarse bully; a rowdy.

In the rough, in an unwrought or rude condition; unpolished; as, a diamond or a sketch in the rough.

Contemplating the people in the rough. Mrs. Browning.

Rough, adv. In a rough manner; rudely; roughly.

Sleeping rough on the trenches, and dying stubbornly in their boats. Sir W. Scott.

Rough, v. t. 1. To render rough; to roughen.

2. To break in, as a horse, especially for military purposes. Crabb.

3. To cut or make in a hasty, rough manner; — with out; as, to rough out a carving, a sketch.

Roughing rolls, rolls for reducing, in a rough manner, a bloom of iron to bars. — To rough it, to endure hard conditions of living; to live without ordinary comforts.