Subscriber login
Password
Forgot your password?
Library card login
Login with Shibboleth® »
Login with Athens »
Close menu
Oxford Dictionaries Online
The world's most trusted dictionaries
About
Subscriber services
What's new
Contact us
Help
Subscribe now
Already a subscriber or in a subscribing organization?
Login
Dictionary
Other language resources
US English
World English
Dictionary
Better writing
World of words
Puzzles and games
For children and schools
For learners of English
Email
Cite
rough and tumble
(rough and tum¦ble)
noun
a situation without rules or organization; a free-for-all:
the rough and tumble of political life
[
as modifier
]
:
the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of the dealing room
Origin:
early 19th century
: originally boxing slang
Nearby Words
roué
Rouen
Rouen duck
rouge
1
rouge
2
rouge et noir
Rouge, River
rouget
rough
rough and tumble
rough collie
rough copy
rough cut
rough diamond
Rough Fell
rough grazing
rough hound
rough house
rough timber