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

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

From Science Magazine

From the genteel Thomas the Tank Engine to the rough-and-ready racecar Lightning McQueen, children’s entertainment has been filled with talking cartoon vehicles that run on feelings as much as on fuel.

From New York Times

The New York Times called her “pert and twinkling”; The Washington Post, “uber-confident, rough-and-ready”; The Wall Street Journal, “deliciously impish and knowing.”

From New York Times

Geely was soon selling a few hundred thousand rough-and-ready cars a year - models with bumpers that tended to sag after a few years - but Li Shufu had his sights on the global market.

From Reuters

There's a wide range of types, and quality, of such releases – from works in progress finished off by collaborators to rough-and-ready demos.

From Salon