rough-hewn

The carpenter admired the rough-hewn timber before sanding it.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not finished or refined: "rough-hewn" describes something that has been shaped or cut in a basic, incomplete manner, lacking smoothness or polish.
   • Crude or unrefined in character: When applied to people or behaviour, it means lacking sophistication, elegance, or subtlety; coarse or rustic.

Usage Examples

• Physical object:
  • The sculpture was rough-hewn from a block of granite. (The sculpture was carved in a basic, unfinished way, without detailed smoothing.)
• Character or manner:
  • His rough-hewn manners made him seem unfriendly at first. (His unrefined, blunt behaviour gave a harsh first impression.)
• Appearance:
  • The cabin had rough-hewn wooden walls that showed the marks of an axe. (The walls were made of wood that was cut and shaped roughly, not planed smooth.)

Advanced Usage

• "rough-hewn stone": stone that is cut into a basic shape but not polished or finished.
  • The path was lined with rough-hewn stones. (The stones were irregularly shaped and lacked a smooth surface.)
• "rough-hewn character": a person who is blunt, unpolished, or lacking social grace.
  • She admired his rough-hewn honesty, even when it was blunt. (She respected his straightforward, unrefined truthfulness.)

Variants and Related Words

• Rough-hew (verb): to shape or cut something roughly without finishing it.
  • He rough-hewed the wood into a basic chair frame. (He shaped the wood coarsely without detailed carving.)
• Rough-hewnness (noun): the quality of being rough-hewn.
  • The rough-hewnness of the table gave it a rustic charm. (The unpolished, coarse nature of the table was appealing.)

Synonyms

• Unfinished: not completed or smoothed.
• Crude: in a natural or raw state; lacking refinement.
• Rustic: relating to the countryside; simple and unsophisticated.
• Coarse: rough in texture or manner; lacking delicacy.

Related Idioms

• Rough around the edges: having some flaws or lack of polish, but essentially good.
  • He is rough around the edges, but his heart is in the right place. (He is unrefined or awkward in manner, but well-meaning.)