rough
Uneven or coarse in texture
Not smooth; having a surface with small high parts and low parts.
[something] is rough
- The table's surface felt rough under my fingers.
- His hands were rough from years of hard work.
- Be careful, the metal has a rough edge.
- The road was rough and full of potholes.
- The wall is rough.
- Her hands are rough.
- The ground is rough here.
- This paper feels rough.
Difficult or unpleasant situation or time
Hard or unpleasant to experience.
a rough [day/time/period]
- She’s had a rough week at work.
- It was a rough start to the season.
- He went through a rough patch after losing his job.
- I had a rough day.
- He is going through a rough time.
- It was a rough night for me.
Not exact; approximate
Close to the correct number, amount, or idea, but not exact.
a rough [idea/estimate/number]
- I can give you a rough estimate of the cost.
- He sketched a rough outline of the plan.
- That’s just a rough guess, not the final figure.
- This is a rough number.
- I have a rough idea about the plan.
- We made a rough map.
Harsh or violent in action
Strong and not gentle; may hurt someone or something.
[someone/something] is rough with [someone/something]
- The players were getting rough on the field.
- Don’t be so rough with the puppy.
- He gave me a rough shove as he passed.
- The boys play rough.
- He is rough with his dog.
- She pushed me in a rough way.
Long grass area on golf course
On a golf course, an area with long grass that is harder to hit the ball from.
- His ball landed in the rough.
- She struggled to get out of the rough on her second shot.
- Avoid hitting into the rough if you can.
- The ball is in the rough.
- I hit my ball into the rough.
- It is hard to play in the rough.
- Base: rough
- Comparative: rougher
- Superlative: roughest
in the rough
1In an unfinished state
Not finished or prepared; in its natural form.
- The diamond was found in the rough before being cut and polished.
- His talent is still in the rough but shows great promise.
play rough
1Play aggressively in sports/games
To play in a way that is strong and may hurt others, especially in games or sports.
- The kids were playing rough in the backyard.
- Some players like to play rough to intimidate opponents.
rough around the edges
1Good overall but with small faults
Having some small problems or faults but still good in general.
- He’s a bit rough around the edges but has a good heart.
- The house is rough around the edges but very solid.
rough it
1Live without usual comforts for a while
To live without usual things like electricity, comfortable beds, or good food for a short time.
- We had to rough it during our camping trip.
- They roughed it in a small cabin with no running water.
take the rough with the smooth
1Accept good and bad together
Accept both good and bad parts of life or a situation without complaint.
- In this job you have to take the rough with the smooth.
- Marriage means taking the rough with the smooth.