Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ROUGH, a. [ruf; Sax. hreog, hreoh, hrug, reoh, rug, ruh, href, hreof; D. ruig, rough, shaggy, whence our rug, rugged; G. rauh, rough, and rauch, hoarse, L. raucus, It. rauco; Sw. rugg, entangled hair; ruggig, rugged, shaggy; Dan. rog, rug, rye; W. crec and cryg, rough, rugged, hoarse, curling, and crecian, to creak, to scream, Eng. shriek; creg, hoarse, from cryg, or the same word varied. Cryg is from rhyg, Eng. rye, that is, rough; (crwca, crooked, is probably from the same source;) Sax. raca, hraca, a cough; L. ruga, a wrinkle; W. rhoçi, to grunt or growl; rhwc, what is rough, irregular, a grunt; rhwçiaw, to grunt; rhuwc, a rug, a rough garment, an exterior coat; rhuc, a coat, husk or shell; rhwnc, a snoring, snorting, or rattling noise. The latter is probably from the same root, from roughness, and this is the Gr. ῥεγχω, to snore; Ann. rochat or dirochat, to snore; diroch, snoring. The Welsh unites rough with creak, shriek; and shrug is formed on the root of L. ruga, a wrinkle, a ridge. See Ridge. The primary sense is to stretch or strain; but applied to roughness or wrinkling, it is to draw or contract, a straining together.]

1. Having inequalities, small ridges or points on the surface; not smooth or plane; as, a rough board; a rough stone; rough cloth.
2. Stony; abounding with stones and stumps; as, rough land; or simply with stones; as, a rough road.
3. Not wrought or polished; as, a rough diamond.
4. Thrown into huge waves; violently agitated; as, a rough sea.
5. Tempestuous; stormy; boisterous; as, rough weather.
6. Austere to the taste; harsh; as, rough wine.
7. Harsh to the ear; grating; jarring; unharmonious; as, rough sounds; rough number. Pope.
8. Rugged of temper; severe; austere; rude; not mild or courteous. A fiend, a fury, pitiless and rough. Shak.
9. Coarse in manners; rude. A surly boatman, rough as seas and wind. Prior.
10. Harsh; violent; not easy; as, a rough remedy. Clarendon.
11. Harsh; severe; uncivil; as, rough usage. Locke.
12. Hard featured; not delicate; as, a rough visage. Dryden.
13. Terrible; dreadful. On the rough edge of battle, are it join'd, / Satan advanc'd. Milton.
14. Rugged; disordered in appearance; coarse. Rough from the tossing surge Ulysses moves. Pope.
15. Hairy; shaggy; covered with hairs, bristles and the like.