Idioms for rough

    in the rough, in a rough, crude, or unfinished state: The country has an exciting potential, but civilization there is still in the rough.
    rough it, to live without the customary comforts or conveniences; endure rugged conditions: We really roughed it on our fishing trip.

Origin of rough

before 1000; Middle English (adj. and noun); Old English rūh (adj.); cognate with Dutch ruig, German rauh

ANTONYMS FOR rough

OTHER WORDS FROM rough

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH rough

rough ruff

British Dictionary definitions for rough it

See also rough out, rough up

Derived forms of rough

roughness, noun

Word Origin for rough

Old English rūh; related to Old Norse ruksa, Middle Dutch rūge, rūwe, German rauh

Idioms and Phrases with rough it (1 of 2)

rough it

Do without the usual comforts and conveniences, as in We spent our vacation roughing it in a log cabin. This idiom was first recorded in 1768. Mark Twain used it as the title of an account of his experiences in Nevada (Roughing It, 1872).

Idioms and Phrases with rough it (2 of 2)

rough