rough it out—withstand to the end difficult conditions or adverse circumstances without flinching:
- We have no other course for it but to rough it out as well as we can.
Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase rough it—(also: rough it in the bush) live for a short period of time without the usual comforts and conveniences:
- The explorers had to rough it when they got into the jungle.
rough it up—(Sport) intensify the tempo and competitiveness of a game:
- He has great agility on the ice and is not scared to rough it up in front of the net to gain position.