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rough-hew

or rough·hew

[ ruhf-hyoo ]

/ ˈrʌfˈhyu /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR rough-hew ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), rough-hewed, rough-hewed or rough-hewn, rough-hew·ing.

to hew (timber, stone, etc.) roughly or without smoothing or finishing.

to shape roughly; give crude form to.

Origin of rough-hew

First recorded in 1520–30

Words nearby rough-hew

rough up, rough-and-ready, rough-and-tumble, rough-cut, rough-dry, rough-hew, rough-legged buzzard, rough-legged hawk, rough-sawn, rough-spoken, rough-voiced

Example sentences from the Web for rough-hewn

Librizzi has always struck me as an admirable man, rough-hewn as a New York cabbie.

Red, Black, and Silver’ Just May Be Jackson Pollock’s Last Painting |Anthony Haden-Guest |January 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The man is uncivil and impolitic, rough-hewn enough for leather fringe and dung-crusted boots.

The Quintessential American |James Carroll |December 3, 2009 |DAILY BEAST
She even slid back into the rough-hewn vernacular that had been so completely banished from her lips and custom.

The Law of Hemlock Mountain |Hugh Lundsford
A rough-hewn tree trunk became an image of the spirit or god of trees.

The Religion of the Ancient Celts |J. A. MacCulloch

The structure represents little value to the owner except that of the rough-hewn boards which may be transported to another place.

The Manbos of Mindano |John M. Garvan
His style is boisterous and rough-hewn; his rhyme incorrigibly lewd, and his numbers perpetually harsh and ill sounding.

The Works of John Dryden. Now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 15. |John Dryden
But the rough-hewn shingles of the roof of the house sloped down closely.

The Call of the Canyon |Zane Grey

British Dictionary definitions for rough-hewn

rough-hew

verb -hews, -hewing, -hewed, -hewed or -hewn (tr)

to cut or hew (timber, stone, etc) roughly without finishing the surface

Also: roughcast to shape roughly or crudely