Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers

Home > Forums > ESL Forums

Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher
what means "rough around the edges"? what means "rough around the edges"?
Register FAQDonate Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Notices
You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 12-Feb-2008, 07:06
Newbie
  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Country: Germany
Posts: 8
Current Location: Berlin
First Language: German
Thanks: 8
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
pipelette is on a distinguished road
Default what means "rough around the edges"?
the dictionary says: "If someone is rough around the edges, they haven't mastered something, though they show promise."

But I have heart this expression in other contexts:

1. if s.o. does not feel well, a bit frayed maybe, for example because of a hang over

2. if s.o. is not very sophisticated, distinguished, but unpolished and without manners

Which is the right meaning? And/Or are there difficulties in AE and BE?
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 12-Feb-2008, 09:02
Editor, UsingEnglish.com
  
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: UK
Posts: 25,267
Current Location: Phnom Penh
First Language: English
Thanks: 3
Thanked 332 Times in 303 Posts
Tdol has disabled reputation
Default Re: what means "rough around the edges"?
In BrE, it could mean either depending on the context.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Tdol For This Useful Post:
pipelette (12-Feb-2008)
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 12-Feb-2008, 10:02
BobK's Avatar
Moderator
  
Join Date: Jul 2006
Country: England (South East)
Posts: 5,350
Current Location: England (South East)
First Language: English
Thanks: 55
Thanked 623 Times in 547 Posts
BobK is a name known to allBobK is a name known to allBobK is a name known to allBobK is a name known to allBobK is a name known to allBobK is a name known to all
Default Re: what means "rough around the edges"?
A related idiom is 'a rough diamond' - s.o. of great value but not a master of diplomacy!

b
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to BobK For This Useful Post:
pipelette (12-Feb-2008)
Reply

Bookmarks

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
--- what does it means? MsNyree Ask a Teacher 2 26-Jan-2008 14:26
by no means all do? Eway Ask a Teacher 2 30-Nov-2006 19:01
'BY no means' and ' not by any means' zaed_salah Ask a Teacher 5 30-Jul-2006 01:18
What means You'd? Xenon32 Ask a Teacher 6 17-Jul-2006 20:15
grammar jiang Ask a Teacher 8 17-Dec-2003 18:02


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 05:00.
UsingEnglish.com ESL RSS Feeds - Contact Us - UsingEnglish.com ESL - Archive - Privacy Statement - ^ Back to Top

vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0 RC5
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com