| Definitions |
| rough-and-tumble |
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noun
- Rough activity; fights
- 1995, Anthony Powell, A Dance to the Music of Time: First Movement, page 23
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: She liked ragging; but ragging " and nothing more " these rough-and-tumbles remained
- 2000, Mark Michael Smith, The Old South, page 105
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: As for rough-and-tumbles, the Quaker saw no hope of suppressing them. Few nights passed without such fights ".
- An environment of rough activity
- A person who characteristically engages in such activity
- 1854, William Chorlton, "The Culture of Celery", in The Horticulturist, and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste, ed. by Luther Tucker, page 166
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: This will appear a very tedious process to some of our rough-and-tumbles.
verb
- Engage in rough-and-tumble activity
- 1853, Thomas De Quincey, Historical and Critical Essays, page 4
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: But, for all that, our British experience of electioneering "rough-and-tumbling'" has long blunted the edge of our moral anger.
- 1995, David Kenneth Wiggins, Sport in America: From Wicked Amusement to National Obsession, page 38
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: Although examples could be found throughout the South, rough-and-tumbling was best suited to the backwoods.
adjective
- active, vigorous and rough, with the possibility of harm
- highly competitive
- She found fame and success in the garment district.
Etymology: From rough + and + tumble.
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