rough āļāļ·āļāļāļ°āđāļĢ rough āļāļ·āļāļāļ°āđāļĢ Having a surface marked by irregularities, protuberances, or ridges; not smooth.Coarse or shaggy to the touch: a rough scratchy blanket. Difficult to travel over or through: the rough terrain of the highlands. Characterized by violent motion; turbulent: rough waters. Difficult to endure or live through, especially because of harsh or inclement weather: a rough winter. Unpleasant or difficult: had a rough time during the exam. Boisterous, unruly, uncouth, or rowdy: ran with a rough crowd. Lacking polish or finesse: rough manners. Characterized by carelessness or force, as in manipulating: broke the crystal through rough handling. Harsh to the ear: a rough raspy sound. Being in a natural state: rough diamonds. Not perfected, completed, or fully detailed: a rough drawing; rough carpentry. Rugged overgrown terrain.Sports The part of a golf course left unmowed and uncultivated.The difficult or disagreeable aspect, part, or side: observed politics in the rough when working as an intern on Capitol Hill. Something in an unfinished or hastily worked-out state.A crude unmannered person; a rowdy.To treat roughly or with physical violence: roughed up his opponent. Sports To treat (an opposing player) with unnecessary roughness, often in violation of the rules: was ejected from the game for roughing the passer. To prepare or indicate in an unfinished form: rough out a house plan. In a rough manner; roughly: The engine began to run rough and faltered. rough it To live without the usual comforts and conveniences: roughed it in a small hunting shack.