roughshod [ruhf-shod] ExamplesWord Origin adjective
- shod with horseshoes having projecting nails or points.
Idioms
- ride roughshod over, to treat harshly or domineeringly; override; crush: He rode roughshod over his friends to advance himself in the business world.
Origin of roughshod First recorded in 1680–90; rough + shod Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 Examples from the Web for roughshod Historical Examples of roughshod
She said finally, “We rode over him a little in the roughshod manner, didn’t we?”
Dallas McCord Reynolds
And when the squat steersman again stood up McKay went after him roughshod.
Arthur O. (Arthur Olney) Friel
“It is dreadful to let Conti ride over me roughshod; and yet I can’t defend myself,” said Beatrix, in a low voice.
Honore de Balzac
The Homer she had first known could never have ridden, roughshod, over the basically gentle Dr. Smythe.
Dallas McCord Reynolds
Four times they called on their heavy sluggers and their best boxmen, but the Giants rode over them roughshod.
Lester Chadwick
British Dictionary definitions for roughshod roughshod adjective
- (of a horse) shod with rough-bottomed shoes to prevent sliding
adverb
- ride roughshod over to domineer over or act with complete disregard for
Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for roughshod adj.
also rough-shod, 1680s, from rough (adj.) + shod. Originally of horses shod with the nails projecting from the shoe, to prevent slipping.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper