rough-and-ready

[ ruhf-uhn-red-ee ]

/ ˈrʌf ənˈrɛd i /

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See synonyms for rough-and-ready on Thesaurus.com

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.

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showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

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Origin of rough-and-ready

First recorded in 1800–10

OTHER WORDS FROM rough-and-ready

rough-and-read·i·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use rough-and-ready in a sentence

As an example of good science-and-society policymaking, the history of fluoride may be more of a cautionary tale.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Yves Albarello, MP of Seine-et-Marne, said the gunmen told police they were ready to “die as martyrs.”
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As this list shows, punishments typically run to a short-ish jail sentence and/or a moderately hefty fine.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Terrorism is bad news anywhere, but especially rough on Odessa, where the city motto seems to be “make love, not war.”
Is Putin Turning to Terrorism in Ukraine?|Anna Nemtsova|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

The U.S. military just unveiled a new effort to get Iraqis ready to battle ISIS.
Pentagon Insider on New Plan to Fight ISIS: ‘Of Course It’s Not Enough’|Nancy A. Youssef|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She also practises etching, pen-and-ink drawing, as well as crayon and water-color sketching.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
It secures in many cases, at least, a ready compliance with a large part of the discipline enforced.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Later on, I believe, a child is wont to have his favourite colour, and to be ready to defend it against the preferences of others.
Children's Ways|James Sully
The camp grew still, except for the rough and ready cook pottering about the fire, boiling buffalo-meat and mixing biscuit-dough.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Let your orders for preparation go round tonight, so that your knaves may be ready to set out betimes to-morrow.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

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 of rough-and-ready

rough-and-readiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other 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]

rough-and-ready

Origin of rough-and-ready

OTHER WORDS FROM rough-and-ready

Words related to rough-and-ready

How to use rough-and-ready in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rough-and-ready

Derived forms of rough-and-ready

Other Idioms and Phrases with rough-and-ready