roughhouse
[ noun ruhf-hous; verb ruhf-hous, -houz ]
/ noun ˈrʌfˌhaʊs; verb ˈrʌfˌhaʊs, -ˌhaʊz /
Save This Word!
noun, plural rough·hous·es [ruhf-hou-ziz]. /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ zɪz/.
rough, disorderly playing, especially indoors.
verb (used without object), rough·housed [ruhf-houst, -houzd], /ˈrʌfˌhaʊst, -ˌhaʊzd/, rough·hous·ing [ruhf-hou-sing, -zing]. /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ sɪŋ, -zɪŋ/.
to engage in rough, disorderly play.
verb (used with object), rough·housed [ruhf-houst, -houzd], /ˈrʌfˌhaʊst, -ˌhaʊzd/, rough·hous·ing [ruhf-hou-sing, -zing]. /ˈrʌfˌhaʊ sɪŋ, -zɪŋ/.
to handle roughly but with playful intent: to roughhouse the cat.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Words nearby roughhouse
rough-dry, roughen, rougher, rough fish, rough-hew, roughhouse, roughie, roughing-in, roughing mill, roughish, rough it
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for roughhouse
British Dictionary definitions for roughhouse
roughhouse
/ (ˈrʌfˌhaʊs) slang /
noun
rough, disorderly, or noisy behaviour
verb
to treat (someone) in a boisterous or rough way
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