rough out

Related to rough out: defer to, give rise, fall foul of, pick up on, interfere with

rough out

To make or prepare a quick, preliminary, or unfinished form of something, such as a plan or idea. They said they wanted to hear what I had in mind for the direction of the company, so I roughed out a few ideas ahead of the board meeting. Let's rough out an itinerary for our time in Italy.
See also: out, rough
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

rough something out

to make a rough sketch of something. I will rough it out and have one of the staff artists attend to the details. Jane roughed out a picture of the proposed building.
See also: out, rough
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

rough out

Also, rough in. Prepare or indicate in unfinished form, as in He roughed out several plans for a merger, or They roughed in where the doors would go without checking with the architect. [Second half of 1700s]
See also: out, rough
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

rough out

v.
To prepare or indicate something in an unfinished form; make a preliminary sketch or plan of something: We met to rough out the agenda for the upcoming week. They roughed a plan out and estimated how long the project would take.
See also: out, rough
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • in rough
  • fit (something) to (someone or something)
  • fit to
  • groom
  • brace (oneself) for (something)
  • brace oneself for
  • loose ends
  • some loose ends
  • the loose ends/threads