The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rough \Rough\, a. [Compar. Rougher; superl. Roughest.] [OE.
rou?, rou, row, rugh, ruh, AS. r?h; akin to LG. rug, D. rug,
D. ruig, ruw, OHG. r?h, G. rauh, rauch; cf. Lith. raukas
wrinkle, rukti to wrinkle. [root] 18. Cf. Rug, n.]
1. Having inequalities, small ridges, or points, on the
surface; not smooth or plain; as, a rough board; a rough
stone; rough cloth. Specifically:
(a) Not level; having a broken surface; uneven; -- said of
a piece of land, or of a road. "Rough, uneven ways."
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
(b) Not polished; uncut; -- said of a gem; as, a rough
diamond.
(c) Tossed in waves; boisterous; high; -- said of a sea or
other piece of water.
[1913 Webster]
More unequal than the roughest sea. --T. Burnet.
[1913 Webster]
(d) Marked by coarseness; shaggy; ragged; disordered; --
said of dress, appearance, or the like; as, a rough
coat. "A visage rough." --Dryden. "Roughsatyrs."
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence, figuratively, lacking refinement, gentleness, or
polish. Specifically:
(a) Not courteous or kind; harsh; rude; uncivil; as, a
rough temper.
[1913 Webster]
A fiend, a fury, pitiless and rough. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
A surly boatman, rough as wayes or winds.
--Prior.
[1913 Webster]
(b) Marked by severity or violence; harsh; hard; as, rough
measures or actions.
[1913 Webster]
On the rough edge of battle. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
A quicker and rougher remedy. --Clarendon.
[1913 Webster]
Kind words prevent a good deal of that
perverseness which rough and imperious usage
often produces. --Locke.
[1913 Webster]
(c) Loud and hoarse; offensive to the ear; harsh; grating;
-- said of sound, voice, and the like; as, a rough
tone; rough numbers. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
(d) Austere; harsh to the taste; as, rough wine.
(e) Tempestuous; boisterous; stormy; as, rough weather; a
rough day.
[1913 Webster]
He stayeth his rough wind. --Isa. xxvii.
8.
[1913 Webster]
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
(f) Hastily or carelessly done; wanting finish;
incomplete; as, a rough estimate; a rough draught.
[1913 Webster]
Rough diamond, an uncut diamond; hence, colloquially, a
person of intrinsic worth under a rude exterior.
Rough and ready.
(a) Acting with offhand promptness and efficiency. "The
rough and ready understanding." --Lowell.
[1913 Webster]
(b) Produced offhand. "Some rough and ready theory."
--Tylor.
[1913 Webster]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
31 Moby Thesaurus words for "rough diamond":
acceptable person, capital fellow, crude, diamond, gem, gentleman,
good fellow, good lot, good man, good person, good sort,
good woman, honest man, jewel, lady, mensch, ore, pearl,
perfect gentleman, perfect lady, persona grata, prince,
raw material, real man, rich ore, rich vein, right sort,
unanalyzed mass, unlicked cub, virgin soil, worthy