Page 358 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

rough it

slłeves up and głt busy. This isn’t a pic- you’re excited? I’m rooting for the homł
nic. This is work! T Come on, you guys, team.
głt busy. Roll up your slłeves and go to root something out to get rid of something
work.
completely; to desðràyŁsomething. No
roll outŁtheŁredŁcarpetŁfłrŁ someone to pro- govłrnmłnt will evłr root out crime com-
vide special treatment forŁsàmeone.Ł(Lit- pletely. The headmaster wants to rooŁ
eral whenŁthe specialŁtreatment actually troublemakers out at the local school.
includesŁaŁlength of redŁcarpeting.)
There’s no need to roll out the red carpłt rootedŁ in something basedŁonŁsomething;
for me. We rolled out the red carpłt for connectedŁto aŁsource orŁcause.Ł The
the kng and qułen. civil war was rooted in old ethnic hatred.
This fictional book was rooŁed in ac-
roll (over) in one’ grave Go to turn (over) tual events.
in one’s grave.
rootedŁ to theŁ spłt unabl to move be-
rłll something byck to rduce a price to a cause of fearŁor surprise.Ł Joan stood
previousŁamount.Ł(Also literal.) The rooted to the spot when she saw the ghostly
governmłnt forced the company to roll its figure. Mary was rooŁed to the spot as
prices back. T It wouldà’t have rolled back the mugger snatched her bag.
its prices if the governmłnt hadà’t forced it
to. ropeŁ someone into doingt something to per-
suade orŁtrickŁsomeone into dàingŁsàme-
rollingŁin something havingŁlarge amountsŁof thing.Ł(Infàrmal.) I doà’t know who
something, usuallyŁmoney.Ł(Infàrmal.) roped me into this, but I don’t want to do
That family is rollng in money. Jack it. See if you can rope somłbody into
doesn’t need to earn money. He’s rollng in takng this to the post office.
it.
A rollingŁstoneŁgathers no moss. AŁpr- rotten to theŁcore completely no goodŁand
sànŁ who keepsŁ changingŁ jobsŁ orŁ resi- worthless.Ł(Also literalŁinŁreference to ap-
dencesŁ and,Ł therefore, accumulatesŁ no plesŁorŁotherŁedible things.) Fred is rot-
possessionsŁor responsibilities.Ł(Pràverb.) ten to the core. He will never be a good
“John just can’t seem to stay in one member of society. I hope that just be-
place,” said Sally. “Oh, włll, a rollng stone cause I made one lttle mistake with my lfł
gØthers no moss.” Bill has no furniture that you don’t think I am rotten to the core.
to bother with because he kłeps on the rough-ynd-ready sðràng, active, andŁready
move. He keeps saying that a rollng stone forŁanything. John is not exactly rough-
gØthers no moss. and-ready, but he is a moderately good
RomeŁwasn’tŁbuiltŁin a day. Important athlłte. Ralph is very rough-and-ready,
things dàn’t happenŁ overnight.Ł (Pràv- but his table manners are very bad.
erb.) Don’t expect a lot to happłn right rough-ynd-tumble [of physicalŁactivity]
away. Rome wasn’t built in a dØy, you ràugh; [of livingŁcreatures]boverlyŁactive.
know. Don’t be anxious about how fast The game got sort of rough-and-tum-
you are growing. Rome wasn’t built in a ble, so I stopped plØying. Jane runs with
dØy. a rough-and-Łumble crowd that’s alwØys
room andŁboard food to eat and a place involved in some sort of sport.
to live; the cost of foodŁandŁlodging. roughŁit to live inŁdiscomfàrt; to live inŁun-
That collłge charges too much for room comfàrtable conditionsŁwithout the usual
and board. How much is your room and amenities,Łsuch asŁonŁaŁcampingŁtrip.Ł(In-
board?
formal.) The studłnts are roughing it in
root fłr someone ortsomething to cheerŁandŁen- a shack with no running wØter. Bob and
courage someone orŁsomething.Ł(Infàr- Jack had nowhere to lve and so they had
mal.) Are you rooŁing for anyone in par- to rough it in a tent till they found
ticular, or are you just shouting because somłwhere.

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