1. v. & n.
--v. (rubbed, rubbing)
1. tr. move one's hand or another object with firm pressure over the surface of.
2 tr. (usu. foll. by against, in, on, over) apply (one's hand etc.) in this way.
3 tr. clean or polish or make dry or bare by rubbing.
4 tr. (often foll. by over) apply (polish, ointment, etc.) by rubbing.
5 tr. (foll. by in, into, through) use rubbing to make (a substance) go into or through something.
6 tr. (often foll. by together) move or slide (objects) against each other.
7 intr. (foll. by against, on) move with contact or friction.
8 tr. chafe or make sore by rubbing.
9 intr. (of cloth, skin, etc.) become frayed or worn or sore or bare with friction.
10 tr. reproduce the design of (a sepulchral brass or a stone) by rubbing paper laid on it with heelball or coloured chalk etc.
11 tr. (foll. by to) reduce to powder etc. by rubbing.
12 intr. Bowls (of a bowl) be slowed or diverted by the unevenness of the ground.
--n.
1. a spell or an instance of rubbing (give it a rub).
2 a an impediment or difficulty (there's the rub). b Bowls an inequality of the ground impeding or diverting a bowl; the diversion or hindering of a bowl by this.
Phrases and idioms:
rub along colloq. cope or manage without undue difficulty. rub down dry or smooth or clean by rubbing. rub-down n. an instance of rubbing down. rub elbows with US rub shoulders with. rub one's hands rub one's hands together usu. in sign of keen satisfaction, or for warmth. rub it in (or rub a person's nose in it) emphasize or repeat an embarrassing fact etc. rub noses rub one's nose against another's in greeting. rub off
1. (usu. foll. by on) be transferred by contact, be transmitted (some of his attitudes have rubbed off on me).
2 remove by rubbing. rub of (or on) the green Golf an accidental interference with the course or position of a ball. rub on colloq. rub along.
rub out
1. erase with a rubber.
2 esp. US sl. kill, eliminate. rub shoulders with associate or come into contact with (another person).
rub up
1. polish (a tarnished object).
2 brush up (a subject or one's memory).
3 mix (pigment etc.) into paste by rubbing. rub-up n. the act or an instance of rubbing up. rub up the wrong way irritate or repel as by stroking a cat against the lie of its fur.
Etymology: ME rubben, perh. f. LG rubben, of unkn. orig. 2. n. RUBBER(2).
Etymology: abbr.