HOW TO PRONOUNCE
rough
/ɹʌf/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does rough mean?
adjective
- Not smooth; uneven.
- Approximate; hasty or careless; not finished.
- Turbulent.
More meanings (27)
adjective
- Difficult; trying.
- Crude; unrefined.
- Worn; shabby; weather-beaten.
- Having socio-economic problems, hence possibly dangerous.
- Violent; not careful or subtle.
- Loud and hoarse; offensive to the ear; harsh; grating.
- Not polished; uncut.
- Harsh-tasting.
- (slang) Somewhat ill; sick; in poor condition.
- (slang) Unwell due to alcohol; hungover.
- Of or relating to the rough breathing in the Greek language.
noun
- The unmowed part of a golf course.
- A rude fellow; a coarse bully; a rowdy.
- A scuffed and roughened area of the pitch, where the bowler's feet fall, used as a target by spin bowlers because of its unpredictable bounce.
- The raw material from which faceted or cabochon gems are created.
- A quick sketch, similar to a thumbnail but larger and more detailed, used for artistic brainstorming.
- A piece inserted in a horseshoe to keep the animal from slipping.
- (obsolete) Boisterous weather.
verb
- To create in an approximate form.
- To break the rules by being excessively violent.
- To commit the offense of roughing, i.e. to punch another player.
- To render rough; to roughen.
- To break in (a horse, etc.), especially for military purposes.
- To endure primitive conditions.
- To roughen a horse's shoes to keep the animal from slipping.
adverb
- In a rough manner; rudely; roughly.
proper noun
- A surname.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ɹʌf/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
It was rough and simple, and not unlike what baby bears would have made of an underground house in the same circumstances.
Scarce had his feet touched the rough stone flagging of this new chamber than his sword flashed out ready for instant use.
More book examples (3)
I was in the rough and tumble of an outdoor world, to take my chance with the rest of its busy number.
He had his knapsack on his shoulders, his cudgel in his hand, a rough, audacious, weary, and violent expression in his eyes.
There were a number of bath-houses along the beach, of rough but solid construction, built with small, protecting galleries facing the water.