rough-and-ready
[ ruhf-uh n-red-ee ]
/ ˈrʌf ənˈrɛd i /
adjective
rough, rude, or crude, but good enough for the purpose: a rough-and-ready estimate of future expenses.
exhibiting or showing rough vigor rather than refinement or delicacy: a cowboy—the rough-and-ready type.
Nearby words
rough sleeper, rough spin, rough stuff, rough trade, rough up, rough-and-ready, rough-and-tumble, rough-cut, rough-dry, rough-hew, rough-legged buzzard
Origin of rough-and-ready
First recorded in 1800–10
Related forms
rough-and-read·i·ness, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for rough and ready
rough-and-ready
adjective
crude, unpolished, or hastily prepared, but sufficient for the purpose
(of a person) without formality or refinement; rudely vigorous
Derived Forms
rough-and-readiness, nounCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with rough and ready
rough and ready
Unrefined or makeshift but available for use or action, as in The agenda is somewhat rough and ready, but it covers the main issues. [First half of 1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.