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rub
[ ruhb ]
verb (used with object)
- to subject the surface of (a thing or person) to pressure and friction, as in cleaning, smoothing, polishing, coating, massaging, or soothing:
to rub a table top with wax polish; to rub the entire back area.
- to move (something) back and forth or with a rotary motion, as against or along another surface:
to rub the cloth over the glass pane.
- to spread or apply (something) with pressure and friction over something else or a person:
to rub lotion on her chapped hands.
- to move (two things) with pressure and friction over or back and forth over each other (often followed by together ):
He rubbed his hands together.
- to mark, polish, force, move, etc. (something) by pressure and friction (often followed by over, in, or into ).
- to remove by pressure and friction; erase (often followed by off or out ).
verb (used without object)
- to exert pressure and friction on something.
- to move with pressure against something.
- to admit of being rubbed in a specified manner:
Chalk rubs off easily.
- Chiefly British. to proceed, continue in a course, or keep going with effort or difficulty (usually followed by on, along, or through ):
He manages to rub along.
noun
- an act or instance of rubbing:
an alcohol rub.
- something that annoys or irritates one's feelings, as a sharp criticism, a sarcastic remark, or the like:
to resent rubs concerning one's character.
- an annoying experience or circumstance.
- an obstacle, impediment, or difficulty:
We'd like to travel, but the rub is that we have no money.
Synonyms: , , , ,
- a rough or abraded area caused by rubbing.
verb phrase
- to smooth off, polish, or apply a coating to:
to rub a chair down with sandpaper.
- to give a massage to.
- to obliterate; erase.
- Slang. to murder:
They rubbed him out before he could get to the police.
- to become transferred or communicated to by example or association:
Some of his good luck must have rubbed off on me.
rub
/ ʌ /
verb
- to apply pressure and friction to (something) with a circular or backward and forward motion
- to move (something) with pressure along, over, or against (a surface)
- to chafe or fray
- tr to bring into a certain condition by rubbing
rub it clean
- tr to spread with pressure, esp in order to cause to be absorbed
he rubbed ointment into his back
- tr to mix (fat) into flour with the fingertips, as in making pastry
- foll byoff, out, away, etc to remove or be removed by rubbing
- bowls (of a bowl) to be slowed or deflected by an uneven patch on the green
- troften foll bytogether to move against each other with pressure and friction (esp in the phrases rub one's hands , often a sign of glee, anticipation, or satisfaction, and rub noses , a greeting among Inuit people)
- rub someone's nose in it informal.to remind someone unkindly of his failing or error
- rub up the wrong wayto arouse anger (in); annoy
- rub shoulders with or rub elbows with informal.to mix with socially or associate with
noun
- the act of rubbing
- the ruban obstacle or difficulty (esp in the phrase there's the rub )
- something that hurts the feelings or annoys; rebuke
- bowls an uneven patch in the green
- any roughness or unevenness of surface
- golf an incident of accidental interference with the ball
- a piece of good or bad luck
Other 51Թ Forms
- ܲ·ܲ adjective
- ɱ-ܲ adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of rub1
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of rub1
Idioms and Phrases
- rub it in, Informal. to emphasize or reiterate something unpleasant in order to tease or annoy:
The situation was embarrassing enough without having you rub it in.
- rub the wrong way, to irritate; offend; annoy:
a manner that seemed to rub everyone the wrong way.
- rub up, British Informal. to refresh one's memory of (a subject, language, etc.).
- rub salt in / into someone's wounds. salt 1( def 23 ).
More idioms and phrases containing rub
- the rub
Example Sentences
“You want to offer the premium end but you don’t want to rub it in people’s faces.”
Simply wash and pat dry and rub with a little olive oil.
As a DJ played '90s hip hop, computer developers rubbed shoulders actors and executives, in a sign of the changing power players in the industry.
Fiona has memories of trying to fix broken face masks, getting sore ears from where the straps rubbed, and taking Covid tests every morning.
“That was part of what rubbed them the wrong way,” Watt said.
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Related 51Թs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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