roughshod Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite (of a horse) having horseshoes with projecting nails to prevent slipping
  2. adjective satellite (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
    savage; barbarous; vicious; brutal; cruel; fell.
    • a barbarous crime
    • brutal beatings
    • cruel tortures
    • Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks
    • a savage slap
    • vicious kicks
  3. adjective satellite unjustly domineering
    heavy-handed.
    • incensed at the government's heavy-handed economic policies
    • a manager who rode roughshod over all opposition

WordNet

Rough"shod adjective
Definitions
  1. Shod with shoes armed with points or calks; as, a roughshod horse. usu. with "over"

Webster 1913