Definition of "roughen" [rough•en]

• To make or become rough. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Nail primers, which are used to roughen the surface of the fingernail, are among the most dangerous products."
• "Some mechanics buy narrow wire brushes to even and roughen the glue surface."
• "After firing a pot, they would roughen its surface and apply chaute, a mixture of charcoal, oil of sage seed and a glue-like substance from the camote tuber."