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to rough

to rough

8 6.5
To make a quick simple drawing or plan
  • verb
  • /rʌf/
: esbozar
  • Generally, designs are roughed out in solids and the details are done with surface modeling.

Examples

  • The artist roughed in some shapes on the canvas to outline her composition.

  • She quickly roughed out a plan for the project during the meeting.

  • I have roughed something out.

  • I'll probably have the terms roughed out by the time I return. "Good," I said.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Suddenly, Snyder and the cops burst through the crowd and grab Jack, roughing him up.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Before finalizing the report, he roughed it out with a few key points.

Synonyms

to rough-hew
vsto rough
  • Specialized
4 9.9

To shape wood or stone without smoothing the surface

is used more generally for drafting or treating things not only carving materials
to rough out
vsto rough
2 5.1

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

is used more broadly to shape or treat things beyond just first drafts
to rough in
vsto rough
1 6.6

Make a simple first version to show the main plan

is used more generally for shaping or treating not only for outlines
to roughcast
vsto rough
8.1

To make a rough basic shape before finishing it

is used more widely for drafts and general treatment not only shaping

Antonyms

68 4.0

Make something better by making a few small changes

65 1.1

To make something smooth and shiny by rubbing it

Idioms

8 5.2

A person or thing with great talent but little polish

To go through a short time with problems after a good time

rough time of it
  • Informal
3 6.5

A period when someone has many problems

Accept the good and bad parts of a situation

Phrasal Verbs

to rough up
  • Offensive
43 7.3

To attack and hurt someone slightly to scare them

to rough it
  • Informal
18 7.5

To live without usual comforts for a short time

to rough-hew
  • Specialized
4 9.9

To shape wood or stone without smoothing the surface

2 5.1

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

1 8.1

Stay outside at night without a house or proper shelter

To make something better by fixing small problems

1 6.6

Make a simple first version to show the main plan

to cut up rough
  • Informal
1 9.8

Act in a violent or aggressive way and cause trouble

1 7.7

Hang wet clothes without smoothing or ironing, leaving them a little wrinkled

Compounds

27 4.7

A sharp, uneven part that can cut, or a small fault in a person's way of behaving

rough-and-tumble
  • Informal
13 7.3

Energetic and rough, not following usual rules

the rough
  • Jargon
12 7.0

An area on a golf course with long grass that makes play harder

rough cut
  • Specialized
6 4.8

An early edited version of a film before final changes

4 3.6

Sea or big lake with strong waves that make travel by boat difficult

A noisy, rough fight with little care for rules

4 8.1

A soldier on horseback in the volunteer unit led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War

rough-and-ready
  • Informal
2 6.6

Simple and not carefully made but good enough for the job

2 8.1

A harsh punishment people give without help from the police or courts

An appearance that seems tough but hides a softer side

rough-cut
  • Specialized
1 4.9

Shaped but not smoothed or fully finished

A quick simple sketch that shows the main ideas

rough-skinned newt
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A small salamander with rough skin that lives near streams on the Pacific coast

rough sledding
  • Informal
1 7.0

A difficult time that is hard to get through

A surface that feels bumpy or not smooth to the touch

rough trot
  • Informal
1 8.1

A difficult time or an uncomfortable ride someone has

rough fish
  • Jargon
1 8.1

A fish people do not want to eat, catch, or use as bait

rough-legged hawk
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A large Northern hawk with feathered legs that hunts small animals like mice

rough green snake
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A thin bright green snake with rough scales that is harmless and lives in the southern and eastern United States

1 7.5

A person who speaks in a rude, harsh way

1 7.1

A person who sleeps outside because they have no home

rough horsetail
  • Specialized
1 9.6

An evergreen plant with rough, jointed stems that people use to scrub pans

1 7.9

A plant from North America with rough stems and small yellow flowers

A climbing evergreen plant with spiny zigzag stems, shiny leaves, and pale green flowers

rough bristlegrass
  • Specialized
9.6

A grass with rough, stiff seed heads that often grows as a weed

rough pea
  • Specialized
8.8

A winter plant with weak stems that farmers use to cover soil and feed animals

A cloth with a coarse, uneven surface that feels scratchy

rough-leaved aster
  • Specialized
9.5

A North American plant that lives for many years with rough hairy leaves and purple daisy-like flowers

How Finished

to finish
∞ 1.0
revise
1 3.9
to rough
8 6.5
draft
  • Specialized
223 3.7
sketch
222 2.5

Surface Forms

rough infinitive
roughed past
roughed past participle
roughing present participle
roughs third person singular

Etymology

Rough comes from the old English ruh meaning 'coarse', and to 'rough' something is to make it coarse or make a quick, not-finished version. So when you 'rough' a plan you make a simple draft or uneven version.