rough it

Idioms  

1. Do without the usual comforts and conveniences, as in We spent our vacation roughing it in a log cabin. This idiom was first recorded in 1768. Mark Twain used it as the title of an account of his experiences in Nevada (Roughing It, 1872).

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Example Sentences

In September 2025, the charity worked with 176 people sleeping rough - it said this was the highest number of people it has ever recorded in one month.

From BBC

"That was rough... it is terrifying."

From BBC

"In the rough it's hard to tell. From what I looked at very briefly on the video, it looked like it was very difficult to see if the ball was moving," the world number one said.

From BBC

For those campers willing to rough it a bit, it’s an A-plus choice.

From Los Angeles Times

"I don't think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating is until you see it," Trump said.

From BBC