roughneck

[ ruhf-nek ]

noun

1. a rough, coarse person; a tough.
2. any laborer working on an oil-drilling rig. Compare roustabout ( def 4 ).

verb (used without object)

1. to work as a roughneck.

roughneck

/ ˈrʌfˌnɛk /

noun

1. a rough or violent person; thug
2. a worker in an oil-drilling operation

Word History and Origins

Origin of roughneck¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; rough + neck

Example Sentences

McConaughey plays Ron Woodroof, a boozey roughneck who is given 30 days to live after being diagnosed with AIDS.

From The Daily Beast

I wanted to kill the enemy and be a roughneck and cuss and spit tobacco, come home and do it again.

From The Daily Beast

And some of these roughneck humourists will congratulate us on golf becoming one of the vital, red-blooded sports!

From Project Gutenberg

"You know, Miss Shaw, this isn't just the roughneck's scorn for the egghead," Travis said.

From Project Gutenberg

Will you try and see if you can't think of me as something more than just a dollar-chasing roughneck?

From Project Gutenberg

He could almost hear passersby say "goody-good" and "roughneck."

From Project Gutenberg

I copped it on the high seas—flotsam and jetsam,' says the 'roughneck.'

From Project Gutenberg