rough exterior
1
5.5
- noun
:
apariencia dura
- Many people were surprised to find warmth beneath his rough exterior.
Examples
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She has a rough exterior but a soft heart.
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Despite his rough exterior, he volunteers at the animal shelter every weekend.
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Although her rough exterior intimidated new employees, she was always willing to help those in need.
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Despite his rough exterior, he is very kind.
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Despite her rough exterior, she is very kind to animals and always helps them.
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He often intimidates others with his rough exterior, but he's quite friendly once you get to know him.
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Beneath his rough exterior, there lies a gentle and caring personality waiting to be discovered.
Synonyms
1
3.9
A rough, strong, attractive appearance in a man's face or style
1
3.9
A harsh quality in a voice or behavior that feels severe
1
3.4
A rough surface that makes skin sore
A tough, fearless, sometimes aggressive way of behaving that ignores rules and risks
Antonyms
How Rough
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'rough' (harsh, coarse) with 'exterior' (outer appearance); a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a harsh or unfriendly outward manner. This adjectival + noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so the expression is immediately comprehensible without prior exposure.
Etymology
Rough exterior uses the simple image of something with a hard, rough outside, like a shell or a prickly plant, hiding something soft inside. The words rough (hard or harsh) and exterior (the outside) explain why it means someone who 'seems tough' on the outside but is 'gentle' underneath.