rub
Americanverb (used with object)
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rubs,
present (3rd person singular)
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rubbed,
past participle, past
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rubbing
present participle
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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.
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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.
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to spread or apply (something) with pressure and friction over something else or a person.
to rub lotion on her chapped hands.
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to move (two things) with pressure and friction over or back and forth over each other (often followed bytogether ).
He rubbed his hands together.
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to mark, polish, force, move, etc. (something) by pressure and friction (often followed by over, in, orinto ).
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to remove by pressure and friction; erase (often followed by off orout ).
verb (used without object)
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rubs,
present (3rd person singular)
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rubbed,
past participle, past
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rubbing
present participle
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to exert pressure and friction on something.
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to move with pressure against something.
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to admit of being rubbed in a specified manner.
Chalk rubs off easily.
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Chiefly British. to proceed, continue in a course, or keep going with effort or difficulty (usually followed by on, along, orthrough ).
He manages to rub along.
noun
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rubs
plural
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an act or instance of rubbing.
an alcohol rub.
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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.
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an annoying experience or circumstance.
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an obstacle, impediment, or difficulty.
We'd like to travel, but the rub is that we have no money.
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a rough or abraded area caused by rubbing.
verb phrase
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rub down
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to smooth off, polish, or apply a coating to.
to rub a chair down with sandpaper.
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to give a massage to.
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rub out
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to obliterate; erase.
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Slang. to murder.
They rubbed him out before he could get to the police.
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rub off on to become transferred or communicated to by example or association.
Some of his good luck must have rubbed off on me.
idioms
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rub up, to refresh one's memory of (a subject, language, etc.).
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rub salt in / into someone's wounds. salt.
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rub it in, to emphasize or reiterate something unpleasant in order to tease or annoy.
The situation was embarrassing enough without having you rub it in.
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rub the wrong way, to irritate; offend; annoy.
a manner that seemed to rub everyone the wrong way.
verb
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to apply pressure and friction to (something) with a circular or backward and forward motion
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to move (something) with pressure along, over, or against (a surface)
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to chafe or fray
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(tr) to bring into a certain condition by rubbing
rub it clean
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(tr) to spread with pressure, esp in order to cause to be absorbed
he rubbed ointment into his back
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(tr) to mix (fat) into flour with the fingertips, as in making pastry
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to remove or be removed by rubbing
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bowls (of a bowl) to be slowed or deflected by an uneven patch on the green
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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)
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informal to remind someone unkindly of his failing or error
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to arouse anger (in); annoy
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informal to mix with socially or associate with
noun
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the act of rubbing
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an obstacle or difficulty (esp in the phrase there's the rub )
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something that hurts the feelings or annoys; rebuke
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bowls an uneven patch in the green
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any roughness or unevenness of surface
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golf an incident of accidental interference with the ball
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informal a piece of good or bad luck
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rubsimple
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rubssimple
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have rubbedperfect
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has rubbedperfect
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am rubbingprogressive
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are rubbingprogressive
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is rubbingprogressive
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have been rubbingperfect progressive
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has been rubbingperfect progressive
Past
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rubbedsimple
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had rubbedperfect
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was rubbingprogressive
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were rubbingprogressive
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had been rubbingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rub
1300–50; 1860–65 rub for def. 18b; Middle English rubben (v.); cognate with Frisian rubben, Danish rubbe, Swedish rubba
Explanation
To rub is to push firmly and repeatedly, like when you rub your sore foot. When Hamlet says, "aye, there's the rub," he's not talking about getting a massage. Rub, as a noun, is an obstacle or something in your way. You can rub someone's aching back or rub sunblock on your arms and legs. You can also watch chunks of melting ice on a lake's surface rub against each other or complain that your new shoes rub your heels and give you blisters. Colloquially, you might rub off on your friends, or begin to influence them by your mere presence. If, however, you rub them the wrong way, you irritate or annoy them. The noun rub is not used nearly as often as the verb, but people do love to allude to Hamlet's "aye, there's the rub" line in the "to be or not to be" soliloquy, referring to the unforeseen dreams of death that haunt mankind.
Vocabulary lists containing rub
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The beef industry is starting to feel the rub of government workforce reductions.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Travelling on matchday -2 and the evening of matchday +1, the squad had time to rub shoulders with some of the best in the world, with France staying not too far away in Boston.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The real rub here is that generally speaking, neither me, nor you, nor a dog named Boo has been able to ride the incredible run-ups these companies have enjoyed.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
Existing forever in darkness means figuring out how to navigate and manipulate it, a talent that can rub off on the people who play these monsters.
From Salon ● May 26, 2024
“And who are you two?” she asked, bending down to give them each a good ear rub.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
Her temperament rubs off on Jeff, who tells other passengers and pilots that his mother is traveling to California for a big movie role.
From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026
She hocks back phlegm on a couple of occasions and violently rubs her tired eyes between questions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026
Bear will embark on a slower-paced chapter on the Sunshine Coast with one of his former handlers, getting belly rubs and playing his favourite game, fetch.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
After a warm and ice-cold shower, he cleanses his face and rubs a frozen cucumber over it, which he says will reduce puffiness, acne and brighten his skin.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
Ruby lifts her hand to my face and rubs at one of my cheeks with her thumb.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
The Dodgers developed Hope and Ryan from minor leaguers into top prospects, and the Tigers hope some of that Dodgers development dust has rubbed off on Smith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
But the plans have rubbed some the wrong way.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Andy Robertson rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
The other night, I rubbed chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a generous layer of zest before roasting it as the base for a stew.
From Salon ● Apr. 21, 2026
I rubbed the dust from her coat with my handkerchief.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
The feeling of responsibility is probably rubbing up against your financial and personal boundaries.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
It may even put your digital self on the field and make you part of the competition, rubbing virtual shoulders with your favorite players.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
"Even more so, the families of two beautiful young mothers who tragically died – Lynsey Courtney and Erin Harbison – it's rubbing salt in an open wound."
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
There’ll be plenty to entertain in between cheering, even if you’re just a spectator, and the real party starts afterward, anyway, with a DJ, food and drinks, and rubbing elbows with fellow and superstar participants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
Welchman winced, rubbing the small of his back.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
