roughneck
pronunciation
How to pronounce roughneck in British English:
UK [ˈrʌfnek]
How to pronounce roughneck in American English:
US [ˈrʌfˌnɛk]
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- Noun:
- a cruel and brutal fellow
Word Origin
- roughneck (n.)
- also rough-neck, 1836, "rugged individual," from rough (adj.) + neck (n.). Original context is the Texas frontier, later adpoted to labor organization toughs. Specific sense of "oil rig worker" is recorded from 1917. Compare redneck.
Example
- 1. What does a roughneck do as usual , do you know ?
- 2. I 'll be damned if I worked all these years so my little girl can marry a roughneck .
- 3. If you don 't mind the laborious work and the overly noisy environment , then you can make good money out of being a roughneck .
- 4. We once took him for an experienced tool pusher . In reality he was a roughneck .
- 5. Have you seen the hydraulic tongs in which every roughneck is interested ?