rough up

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Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):
    • To treat someone violently, especially by hitting or beating them: The phrase "rough up" means to physically assault someone, typically without causing extremely serious injury, but in a manner that is aggressive and intimidating.
Usage
  • Verb:
    • This phrasal verb is used to describe an act of physical aggression that is often intended to frighten, punish, or gain control over someone.
    • It is commonly used in informal contexts and often implies a degree of brutality or lack of restraint.
    • The object of the verb is the person being assaulted.
Examples
  • Verb:
    • The gang threatened to rough him up if he didn't pay them.
    • Security guards were accused of roughing up a protester during the demonstration.
    • He claimed the police roughed him up during the arrest.
Advanced Usage
  • "to get roughed up": to be the victim of such an assault.
    • The journalist got roughed up by the dictator's guards.
  • The phrase can sometimes be used more figuratively to mean to treat something harshly or without care, though this is less common.
    • Don't rough up the manuscript; it's very old and delicate.
Variants and Related Words
  • Rough (verb): To handle or treat in a coarse, harsh, or violent manner. (e.g., / )
  • Strong-arm (verb): To use force or violence against someone. This is a close synonym often used in similar contexts.
  • Manhandle (verb): To handle someone roughly by pushing or pulling them.
Synonyms
  • Assault: To make a physical attack on.
  • Beat up: To hit someone repeatedly and violently (often implies more severe injury than "rough up").
  • Mistreat: To treat someone badly or cruelly.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Beat up: To injure someone by hitting them repeatedly. This often suggests a more severe beating than "rough up."
  • Push around: To treat someone roughly or bully them, which may or may not involve physical violence.
Related Idioms
  • Knock around/about: To hit someone or treat them roughly. This is very similar in meaning to "rough up."
    • He was knocked around by the bullies at school.
Verb
  1. treat violently
    • The police strong-armed the suspect

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