rough up

phrasal verb

roughed up; roughing up; roughs up

informal

: to hit and hurt (someone)

The prisoner claimed that he was roughed up by the guards.

Examples of rough up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Tornado confirmed in California after flooding from atmospheric river Right-wing rhetoric got a guy from the Bronx roughed up in Times Square A school shooter’s mom is found guilty. —

Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 Paint Wardrobes Using fine-grit sandpaper, rough up the finish of the unassembled wardrobe parts and doors. —

Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2024 Albertus, another teenage infielder, roughed up pitchers in the Arizona Complex League but has not yet replicated that production after graduating to the next level. —

The Athletic Mlb Staff, The Athletic, 29 July 2024 Some of them roughed up at least one of those critics before attacking a group of migrant workers in a racist assault. —

Paul Stronski, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2015 See all Example Sentences for rough up