ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rough justice

idiom
Meaning

Treatment or punishment that is not considered fair or in accordance with the law.


Examples
SIMPLE

The referee's bad call felt like rough justice.

CONTEXTUAL

The company fired him without a proper hearing, which felt like rough justice to everyone in the office.

COMPLEX

The villagers took matters into their own hands, delivering a form of rough justice that bypassed the local courts entirely.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bring to justice

    To cause a person alleged to have committed criminal acts to be brought to trial on the offenses.

  2. 02

    cut up rough

    To become angry; to make a fuss.

  3. 03

    do justice

    To allow to be apprehended in its full scope.

  4. 04

    have a rough time of it

    To have many problems; to have a difficult time.

  5. 05

    rough and ready

    Crude or unpolished, but still fit for use; good enough.

  6. 06

    rough around the edges

    In need of refinement; unsophisticated.

  7. 07

    rough out

    To produce (a plan, diagram etc.) in rough.

  8. 08

    rough patch

    A difficult or embattling period of one's life.

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