rough, disorderly, or noisy behaviour
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
rough•house /n. ˈrʌfˌhaʊs; v. also -ˌhaʊz/USA pronunciation
n. v., -housed /-ˌhaʊst, -ˌhaʊzd/USA pronunciation -hous•ing /-ˌhaʊsɪŋ, -zɪŋ/.USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025n. [uncountable]
- rough, disorderly playing, esp. indoors.
v.
- to play in a rough, disorderly way:[no object]roughhousing in the living room.
- to handle roughly but playfully:[~ + object]to roughhouse the dog.
rough•house
(n. ruf′hous′;v. ruf′hous′, -houz′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -hous•es (-hou′ziz),USA pronunciation v., -housed
(-houst′, -houzd′),USA pronunciation -hous•ing (-hou′sing, -zing).USA pronunciation
n.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
- rough, disorderly playing, esp. indoors.
v.i.
- to engage in rough, disorderly play.
v.t.
- to handle roughly but with playful intent:to roughhouse the cat.
- rough + house 1885–90, American.
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