roughhouse

[ noun ruhf-hous; verb ruhf-hous, -houz ]
/ noun ˈrʌfˌhaʊs; verb ˈrʌfˌhaʊs, -ˌhaʊz /

noun, plural rough·hous·es [ruhf-hou-ziz] /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ zɪz/.

rough, disorderly playing, especially indoors.

verb (used without object), rough·housed [ruhf-houst, -houzd] /ˈrʌfˌhaʊst, -ˌhaʊzd/, rough·hous·ing [ruhf-hou-sing, -zing] /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ sɪŋ, -zɪŋ/.

to engage in rough, disorderly play.

verb (used with object), rough·housed [ruhf-houst, -houzd] /ˈrʌfˌhaʊst, -ˌhaʊzd/, rough·hous·ing [ruhf-hou-sing, -zing] /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ sɪŋ, -zɪŋ/.

to handle roughly but with playful intent: to roughhouse the cat.

Origin of roughhouse

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; rough + house

Example sentences from the Web for roughhouse

British Dictionary definitions for roughhouse

roughhouse
/ (ˈrʌfˌhaʊs) slang /

noun

rough, disorderly, or noisy behaviour

verb

to treat (someone) in a boisterous or rough way