I. raw 1 W3 /rɔː $ rɒː/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: hreaw ]
1 . FOOD not cooked:
raw meat
grated raw carrots
Cabbage can be eaten raw.
2 . SUBSTANCES raw substances are in a natural state and not treated or prepared for use ⇨ refined :
raw silk
In its raw state, cocoa is very bitter.
Raw sewage had been dumped in the river.
The cost of our raw materials has risen significantly.
3 . INFORMATION raw information is collected but not organized, examined, or developed:
software to convert raw data into usable information
His time here provided the raw material for his novel.
Warhol used everyday items as the raw ingredients of his art.
4 . EMOTIONS raw feelings are strong and natural, but not fully controlled:
raw passion
Linda didn’t want to see Roy while her emotions were still raw.
It took raw courage to admit she was wrong.
5 . BODY if a part of your body is raw, the skin there is red and painful:
The skin on my feet was rubbed raw.
6 . INEXPERIENCED not experienced or not fully trained:
Most of our soldiers are raw recruits.
7 . touch/hit a raw nerve to upset someone by something you say:
Seeing his face, Joanne realized she’d touched a raw nerve.
8 . raw deal unfair treatment:
Customers are getting a raw deal and are rightly angry.
9 . WEATHER very cold:
She shivered in the raw morning air.
10 . ART music, art, language etc that is raw is simple, direct, and powerful, but not fully developed:
Her voice has a raw poetic beauty.
His early sketches are raw and unpretentious.
11 . raw talent someone with raw talent is naturally good at something, but has not developed their ability yet:
He has the raw talent to become a star.
12 . raw edge the edge of a piece of material before it has been sewn:
Turn over the raw edges and stitch.
—rawness noun [uncountable]
II. raw 2 BrE AmE noun
1 . in the raw
a) seen in a way that does not hide cruelty and violence:
He went on the streets to experience life in the raw.
It was my first exposure to India in the raw.
b) informal not wearing any clothes SYN in the nude :
sunbathing in the raw
2 . catch/touch somebody on the raw British English to say or do something that upsets someone:
She flinched, caught on the raw by his question.