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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Rough Meaning: Examples, Usage, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：not smooth (rough)

rough 🔊

/rʌf/

adj.

Having a surface that is not smooth or flat, so it feels uneven when you touch it.

Rough texture close-up of tree bark in hand

not smooth 🔊

➕

/nɒt smuːð/

adj.

Describes a surface that feels uneven, bumpy, or coarse when touched.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'ruh', akin to German 'rauh', meaning coarse or uneven.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a 'ruff' (like a dog's bark) on a textured sleeve—it feels rough when you pet it.

📖 Example

My new jeans feel a bit rough at first, but they become softer after a few washes. 🔊 My new jeans feel a bit rough at first, but they become softer after a few washes.

🔗 Collocations

rough texture – a surface that feels coarse or uneven

rough hands – hands that are calloused or not smooth

rough surface – an uneven or bumpy area

🔄 Synonyms

coarse (adj.) – having a rough texture; not smooth

bumpy (adj.) – covered with bumps; uneven

uneven (adj.) – not level or smooth; irregular

🚫 Antonyms

smooth (adj.) – having an even and regular surface; not rough

sleek (adj.) – smooth and glossy, often in appearance

🌱 Derivatives

roughness (n.) – the quality of being rough or uneven

roughen (v.) – to make or become rough

roughly (adv.) – in a rough manner; approximately

📖 Cultural Story

The word originates from Proto-Germanic '*rukhaz'. In modern English, it is heavily used in idioms like 'rough diamond' and 'rough draft'.

Meaning 2：not precise or detailed (rough)

rough 🔊

/rʌf/

adj.

Not exact or detailed, just a basic idea or version to start with.

not precise or detailed 🔊

➕

/nɒt prɪˈsaɪs ɔːr dɪˈteɪld/

adj.

Describes something that is not exact or thoroughly developed; based on initial ideas or approximations.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Let's make a rough plan for our trip first; we can fill in the details later. 🔊 Let's make a rough plan for our trip first; we can fill in the details later.

🔗 Collocations

rough draft – an early, unpolished version of a piece of writing

rough estimate – an approximate calculation or guess

rough idea – a basic concept without specific details

🔄 Synonyms

approximate (adj.) – nearly correct but not exact

preliminary (adj.) – occurring before the main process; initial

sketchy (adj.) – lacking detail or completeness; vague

🚫 Antonyms

precise (adj.) – exact and accurate; not rough

detailed (adj.) – containing many specifics; thorough

🌱 Derivatives

roughly (adv.) – approximately; not exactly