I. ˈrəfˌhau̇s noun
Etymology: rough (I) + house
: an outbreak of violence or rough boisterous play especially among occupants of a house or room
the horseplay turned to a roughhouse : snatching of trousers and smacks with the flat of hard hands, followed by clumsy steeplechases over the obstacles of beds — T.E.Lawrence
II. “ also -au̇z verb
( roughhoused ; roughhoused ; roughhousing -au̇ziŋ also -au̇siŋ ; roughhouses -au̇zə̇z also -au̇sə̇z)
transitive verb
1. : to handle or deal with roughly often in a spirit of fun : manhandle 2
intimidated and roughhoused their opponents
young men engage in gymnastics and roughhouse each other — American Guide Series: New York City
2. : to fondle (as a child) with playful roughness
babies … tickled or roughhoused — Benjamin Spock
intransitive verb
: to engage in roughhouse
got to roughhousing in the rooms and nobody got any sleep — Henry La Cossitt
III. -au̇s adjective
: of, relating to, or characterized by roughhouse
roughhouse tactics