rough out

verb

1. See rough

2. engineering to machine (a workpiece, such as a casting or forging) with heavy cuts leaving a rough surface to be finished

Idioms and Phrases

Also, rough in. Prepare or indicate in unfinished form, as in He roughed out several plans for a merger, or They roughed in where the doors would go without checking with the architect. [Second half of 1700s]

Example Sentences

"When you're shopping for a big family like mine, it's rough out here," she told the BBC while shopping for groceries and taking children to appointments across town.

From BBC

It’s rough out there for the Singles of Seattle.

From Seattle Times

The researchers roughed out a family tree by comparing the trio’s genomes with those from modern populations and other ancient genomes from the region and across the Americas.

From Science Magazine

It was just hard — the independent film business is rough, and it’s been rough out there for a while.”

From Los Angeles Times

It's very rough out here and every day I feel like I'm on a log roll.

From Salon