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Roughneck: meaning, definitions and examples

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roughneck

 

[ ˈrʌfnɛk ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

oil industry

A roughneck is a person who works on an oil rig and performs manual labor tasks, such as drilling, loading, and maintaining equipment.

Synonyms

driller, oil worker, rig worker

Examples of usage

  • The roughneck on the oil rig worked long hours in tough conditions.
  • Being a roughneck requires physical strength and stamina.
  • The roughneck crew was responsible for the smooth operation of the oil rig.

Translations

Translations of the word "roughneck" in other languages:

🇵🇹 bruto

🇮🇳 मज़दूर

🇩🇪 Raufbold

🇮🇩 kasar

🇺🇦 грубіян

🇵🇱 cham

🇯🇵 粗暴者 (そぼうもの)

🇫🇷 brute

🇪🇸 bruto

🇹🇷 kaba

🇰🇷 거친 사람

🇸🇦 غليظ

🇨🇿 hrubián

🇸🇰 hrubián

🇨🇳 粗人 (cū rén)

🇸🇮 grobijan

🇮🇸 ruddalegur maður

🇰🇿 дөрекі

🇬🇪 უხეში

🇦🇿 kobud

🇲🇽 bruto

Etymology

The term 'roughneck' originated in the mid-19th century in the United States, specifically in the oil industry. It was used to describe the laborers who performed the physically demanding work on oil rigs. The word 'rough' refers to the rough and tough nature of the work, while 'neck' may have originated from the idea of being at the 'neck' or top of the oil well. Over time, 'roughneck' became a common term in the oil and gas industry to describe these hardworking manual laborers.

See also: rough, roughage, roughly, roughness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,661, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.