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Glite Dictionary
to rough-hew

to rough-hew

9.9
To shape wood or stone without smoothing the surface
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈrʌf hju/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tallar groseramente
  • Many old cottages have beams that were rough-hewn by hand centuries ago.

Examples

  • He rough-hews the timber for the cabin.

  • The workers rough-hewed the logs before loading them onto the truck.

  • He rough-hewed a block of stone to form the base of the sculpture.

  • Did he rough-hew the stone for the sculpture?

  • The carpenter began to rough-hew the timber into rectangular beams before finishing the edges.

  • After collecting the stones, they decided to rough-hew them into blocks for the foundation.

  • He used an axe to rough-hew the logs before they were sanded down for the furniture.

Synonyms

to hew
vsto rough-hew
8 7.9

To cut or shape wood with a heavy sharp tool like an axe

emphasizes rough cutting without smoothing or finishing the surface
to roughen
vsto rough-hew
2 4.2

To make a surface not smooth so it feels bumpy

involves shaping or cutting roughly rather than only changing texture
to rough out
vsto rough-hew
1 5.1

To make a simple first version of an idea or plan as a quick drawing

focuses on physical rough cutting or shaping rather than drafting
to rough in
vsto rough-hew
1 6.6

Make a simple first version to show the main plan

refers to rough physical shaping by cutting, not only outlining or planning
to roughcast
vsto rough-hew
8.1

To make a rough basic shape before finishing it

focuses on shaping by cutting rather than by other methods

How Smooth

to polish
46 1.1
to finish
  • Informal
239 2.4
to shape
299 2.0
to carve
272 2.1
to rough-hew
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

rough-hew infinitive
rough-hewing present participle
rough-hews third person singular
rough-hewed past
rough-hewed past participle

Morphology

rough-hew = rough + hew (transparent) = rough + hew

A direct compound of 'rough' + 'hew' meaning 'to hew roughly'; the meaning is readily derived from its components.

Etymology

Rough-hew combines rough 'not smooth' and hew 'to cut' or 'shape with an axe', so it is like cutting a block quickly and leaving the surface rough, which is why it means to shape or cut something without finishing or smoothing it.