rugged

[ronbutters at AOL.COM]

the authors put the word in quote marks. to me, this indicates that they view it as unusual--a nonce usage that is slightly figurative. So why would the OED specifically mention weather? Unless it is an established usage, it does not belong in a dictionary.
------Original Message------
From: Jonathan Lighter
Sender: ADS-L
To: ADS-L
ReplyTo: ADS-L
Subject: [ADS-L] rugged
Sent: Feb 5, 2011 10:18 AM

OED takes no notice of the word as applied to weather. The defs. offered are
close but undeserving of a cigar.

1878 H. L. Palmer in _Wisconsin Magazine of History_  LIV (Winter 1970-71)
90: Capt. Heyer told me that he had never experienced anything like such
"rugged" weather for the first two weeks out from New Bedford.

JL

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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