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• rough-and-ready
  rough-and-ready

  adjective

  rough, rude, or crude, but good enough for the purpose.
• 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

American  

[ruhf-uhn-red-ee] / ˈrʌf ənˈrɛd i /

adjective

1. rough, rude, or crude, but good enough for the purpose.

   a rough-and-ready estimate of future expenses.

2. exhibiting or showing rough vigor rather than refinement or delicacy.

   a cowboy—the rough-and-ready type.

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rough-and-ready British  

adjective

1. crude, unpolished, or hastily prepared, but sufficient for the purpose

2. (of a person) without formality or refinement; rudely vigorous

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rough and ready Idioms  

1. 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]

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Other Word Forms

• rough-and-readiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of rough-and-ready

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rough-and-ready rough and ready

To call this the rough-and-ready style of a workshop would not do as an excuse: A workshop requires workmanship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

The rough-and-ready stemmed projectile points, made from whatever rocks were on hand, differ significantly from so-called Clovis points.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 22, 2022

According to an annual survey of new vehicle owners from the consumer-research firm Strategic Vision, the vast majority almost never employ their rough-and-ready vehicles for towing or off-roading.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2022

The City of Paris department store, begun in the rough-and-ready 1850s as S. Lazard and Company, for Solomon Lazard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2021

He was pretty rough-and-ready himself and had no problems taking me out in public.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

This rough and ready character, in Melissa McCarthy’s case, and this buttoned-up FBI agent.

From Slate ● May 31, 2019

Younger has great empathy for the rough and ready characters he encounters, both good and bad.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2018

Tormund is quite a rough and ready man.

From New York Times ● Aug. 28, 2017

"Suddenly sewer men that at home might often have been looked down upon as grubby, rough and ready industrial types were the most prized troops on the Western Front," says Banning.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2016

Her well-looped skirts were also of dark blue, and there was a rough and ready suitableness to the occasion about her which was most effective.

From The Tree of Knowledge A Novel by Mrs. Baillie Reynolds