roughshodadj.
/ˈrʌfʃɒd/, U.S. /ˈrəfˌʃɑd/ 1. Esp. of a horse: having shoes with the nail heads projecting. See roughshoe v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [adjective] > having particular type of feet > shod (in particular way)
roughshod1688
shodden1829
sharp-shod1889
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 90/1 Rough shod,—when the nails are not yet worn that holds on the shoes.
1780 Bp. F. Asbury Jrnl. (1852) 15 Jan. I. 343 I rode to Johnstown: the roads are spread with sheets of ice; but my horse, rough shod, went safe.
a1855 C. Brontë Professor (1857) II. xviii. 189 ‘The rough-shod foot treads most firmly on slippery ground,’ thought I.
1871 E. Eggleston Hoosier School-Master xx. 147 The snow made the roads more slippery than ever. But the rough-shod roan handled his feet dexterously.
1919 H. Árnadóttir When I was Girl in Iceland viii. 140 Generally only one pony was rough-shod, and the roads..were for the most so slippery, that they could not be used unless that was done.
1927 E. H. Bostock Menageries, Circuses, & Theatres v. 46 Our rough-shod horses found the hard roads easy going, but great care had to be exercised to avoid skids.
2004 D. Duncan Jaguar Knights ii. 10 A powerful bay,..stamping a roughshod hoof on the flags.
2. figurative. Domineering, bullying; rough, harsh. Probably with allusion to to ride (also run) roughshod at Phrases.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > threat or threatening > [adjective] > bullying
huffing1602
bullying1681
bullocking1715
roughshod1888
1888 N.Y. Times 11 Sept. in T. Paijmans Free Energy Pioneer (2004) iii. 67 It was roughshod all through. We had no say in running the machine at all and were treated disgracefully.
1891 S. Smiles Publisher & Friends I. v. 92 The roughshod way in which it [sc. the Edinburgh Review] endeavoured to crush down rising authors.
1933 T. Dennett John Hay (2007) xxix. 359 The rough-shod manner of the President was having the worst possible effect on the British Government.
1970 G. F. Newman Sir, you Bastard 11 He..trailed back again over the roughshod ground.
1998 P. Gourevitch We wish to inform You xvi. 272 Zairean soldiers did move on the camps, and in traditionally roughshod manner—lots of shakedowns, and torched huts.
Phrases
to ride (also run) roughshod: to domineer or tyrannize over, to treat without consideration; chiefly with over.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > oppression > oppress [verb (transitive)] > domineer over
lord1563
overlord?1574
ride1576
overswaya1586
predomineer1594
to set (put) the dice upon1598
lord1671
to ride (also run) roughshod1778
domineer1796
1778 Aristophanes 78 The d—l ride rough-shod over the rascally part of the creation.
1813 T. Moore Intercepted Lett. i. 20 'Tis a scheme of the Romanists, so help me God! To ride over your most Royal Highness roughshod.
1861 Sat. Rev. Nov. 547 We remember that we have ridden roughshod over neutrals in our time.
1896 A. Dobson 18th Cent. Vignettes 3rd Ser. v. 149 The Doctor rode rough-shod over him with an inaccurate illustration.
1908 Harper's Mag. July 186/1 I propose to show this young man that he cannot run roughshod over this railroad.
1937 J. P. Marquand Late George Apley xiii. 155 I..do not choose to have my personality as completely dominated as yours has been. The Simmings are not going to ride rough-shod over me.
1992 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) Sept. 36/3 In the past, governments have really run roughshod over the rights of women.
2004 D. Peace GB 84 103 They continue to ride roughshod over every agreement we come to.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1688