roughing out
Making first draft
Roughing out is creating a preliminary version of something, establishing basic form before refining details.
A sculptor roughs out a figure in clay before adding fine features.
A writer roughs out a draft before polishing prose.
Let me rough out some ideas and we can discuss them tomorrow.
The phrase implies deliberately incomplete work—enough shape to evaluate, not enough to finish.
- sketchingMaking rough drawings
- blockingImpeding forward progress
- draftingCreating technical blueprints
- first passInitial attempt at something
- shapingGiving something its form
taking shape · broad strokes · carving · preliminary · outline · framework · sculpture · chisel · wood · stone · clay · maquette · prototype · hewing · forming · raw · raw material · unfinished
- woodworkingwoodworking, wood, saw, hammer, drill
- sculptingcarving, clay, modeling, molding, plaster
- Stone Sculptingchisel, mallet, rasp, flat chisel, carving
- woodcarvingchisel, gouge, carving knives, relief carvings, duck decoys
roughing outfinishing
Bringing to completion
finalizing · polishing · refining · completing · perfecting
roughing outfinished product
Completed manufactured good
final cut · master copy · clean copy · fair copy · final edit
rough, roughed, roughs, rougher, roughest, roughly, roughness, roughen, roughened