RUBBER


Meaning of RUBBER in English

I. ˈrə-bər noun

Date: 1536

1.

a. : one that rubs

b. : an instrument or object (as a rubber eraser) used in rubbing, polishing, scraping, or cleaning

c. : something that prevents rubbing or chafing

2.

[from its use in erasers]

a. : an elastic substance that is obtained by coagulating the milky juice of any of various tropical plants (as of the genera Hevea and Ficus ), is essentially a polymer of isoprene, and is prepared as sheets and then dried — called also caoutchouc, india rubber

b. : any of various synthetic rubberlike substances

c. : natural or synthetic rubber modified by chemical treatment to increase its useful properties (as toughness and resistance to wear) and used especially in tires, electrical insulation, and waterproof materials

3. : something made of or resembling rubber: as

a. : a rubber overshoe

b.

(1) : a rubber tire

(2) : the set of tires on a vehicle

c. : a rectangular slab of white rubber in the middle of a baseball infield on which a pitcher stands while pitching

d. : condom 1

• rubber adjective

II. noun

Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1599

1. : a contest consisting of an odd number of games won by the side that takes a majority (as two out of three)

2. : an odd game played to determine the winner of a tie

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.