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• rough cut
  rough cut

  noun

  the first assembly of a film following preliminary cutting and editing.
• rough-cut
  rough-cut

  adjective

  cut into small, irregular pieces (contrasted with fine-cut).

rough cut

¹ American  

noun

Movies.

1. the first assembly of a film following preliminary cutting and editing.

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rough-cut ² American  

[ruhf-kuht] / ˈrʌfˈkʌt /

adjective

1. cut into small, irregular pieces (contrasted with fine-cut).

   rough-cut tobacco.

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rough-cut British  

noun

1. a first edited version of a film with the scenes in sequence and the soundtrack synchronized

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Etymology

Origin of rough cut¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Origin of rough-cut²

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rough cut rough-cut

Davis further objected to music producer David Foster’s insistence on an elaborate backing remix for the song, having fallen in love with the first rough cut, which had been recorded live on set.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

He’s seen the movie only twice; once in a rough cut and then again on an airplane.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2025

Then they let me see a rough cut at the end of the day of my voice with her face and actions, and it was like a third person.

From Salon ● Feb. 1, 2024

That’s also what Disney executives asked with concern about the idiosyncratic stop-motion animation musical when they saw a rough cut.

From New York Times ● Oct. 25, 2023

“Which I doubt;” His voice was oddly and beautifully rough cut, as some small boys’ voices are.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

The rough-cut sandstone church, with its bright red doors and stained-glass windows, was built in 1904 to house the state’s oldest Methodist congregation, and occupies a prominent corner lot a few blocks north of downtown.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2023

His head, with its matching rough-cut hair and beard, almost fills the frame.

From New York Times ● Jan. 9, 2023

Don’t miss the shop’s versions of khoresh bamieh, a Persian okra stew, or Lebanese batata harra, a rough-cut potato dish electrified with garlic and chile flakes.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 18, 2021

By the time shooting has finished, Lame is already well on her way to having a complete rough-cut assembly of the film.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2019

Oriana looks like a rose in bloom beside him, wearing a massive necklace of rough-cut green emeralds at her throat, large enough to nearly count as armor.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black