rough-and-tumble

comparative more rough-and-tumble · superlative most rough-and-tumble · alternative rough and tumble

1. Active, vigorous and rough, with the possibility of harm.

   An assistant about the theatre grappled him, and they were soon upon the floor engaged in a regular rough-and-tumble fight.

   1846, William Trotter Porter, A Quarter Race in Kentucky: And Other Sketches, page 115

   1 more example

   [To Sonny] When you look in a mirror, you see this rough-and-tumble old-school cowboy. Doesn't take orders, goes his own way, huh? A lone wolf. Well, I have news for you: Formula One is a team sport. It always was.

   2025, Ehren Kruger, F1: The Movie, spoken by Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon)

2. Highly competitive.

   She found fame and success in the rough-and-tumble garment district.

plural rough-and-tumbles · alternative rough and tumble

1. Rough activity; fighting or brawling; a fight.

   She liked ragging; but ragging — and nothing more — these rough-and-tumbles remained

   1995, Anthony Powell, A Dance to the Music of Time: First Movement, page 23

   2 more examples

   "You played Rugger for Ireland, did you not? You don't mind a possible rough-and-tumble, do you?" Malone grinned over the receiver.

   1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019

   As for rough-and-tumbles, the Quaker saw no hope of suppressing them. Few nights passed without such fights […]

   2000, Mark Michael Smith, The Old South, page 105

2. An environment of rough activity.
3. A person who characteristically engages in such activity.

   This will appear a very tedious process to some of our rough-and-tumbles.

   1854, William Chorlton, “The Culture of Celery”, in Luther Tucker, editor, The Horticulturist, and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste, page 166

present singular third person rough-and-tumbles · participle present rough-and-tumbling · participle past rough-and-tumbled · past rough-and-tumbled · alternative rough and tumble

1. intransitiveTo engage in rough-and-tumble activity.

   Although examples could be found throughout the South, rough-and-tumbling was best suited to the backwoods.

   1995, David Kenneth Wiggins, Sport in America: From Wicked Amusement to National Obsession, page 38

   1 more example

   But, for all that, our British experience of electioneering "rough-and-tumbling'" has long blunted the edge of our moral anger.

   1853, Thomas De Quincey, Historical and Critical Essays, page 4