definitions

rough-hew

or rough·hew

[ ruhf-hyoo ]
/ ˈrʌfˈhyu /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rough-hew ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), rough-hewed, rough-hewed or rough-hewn, rough-hew·ing.

to hew (timber, stone, etc.) roughly or without smoothing or finishing.
to shape roughly; give crude form to.

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RELATED WORDS

fashion, divide, hack, chisel, shape, slice, engrave, etch, mold, sculpt, trim, cleave, hew, indent, form, pattern, chip, stipple, tool, incise

Nearby words

rough up, rough-and-ready, rough-and-tumble, rough-cut, rough-dry, rough-hew, rough-hewn, rough-house, rough-legged buzzard, rough-legged hawk, rough-sawn

Origin of rough-hew

First recorded in 1520–30
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rough-hew

British Dictionary definitions for rough-hew

rough-hew

verb -hews, -hewing, -hewed, -hewed or -hewn (tr)

to cut or hew (timber, stone, etc) roughly without finishing the surface
Also: roughcast to shape roughly or crudely
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