cut up rough/nasty

cut up rough

To behave in an angry and perhaps violent manner. Don't leave those guys alone together—they've been known to cut up rough when they disagree with each other. If you're gonna cut up rough with my patrons, I'll have no choice but to toss you out, Burt. Can you separate those two belligerent drunks before they cut up rough?

See also: cut, rough, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cut up rough

BRITISH, INFORMAL

If someone cuts up rough, they suddenly become extremely angry or violent. Take someone with you in case he cuts up rough.

See also: cut, rough, up

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

cut up rough

behave in an aggressive, quarrelsome, or awkward way. British informal

Cut up is here being used in the sense of ‘behave’. The phrase cut up rough is used by Dickens and the variant cut up savage (now no longer in use) by Thackeray.

1998 Spectator The jury, knowing full well that Clodius' supporters could cut up rough, asked for and received state protection.

See also: cut, rough, up

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

cut up ˈrough/ˈnasty

(informal) behave or react in an angry, bad-tempered or violent way: I didn’t want to ask Joe for money, but Billy had cut up rough when I couldn’t pay him back.

See also: cut, nasty, rough, up

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017