drub
Americanverb (used with object)
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to beat with a stick or the like; cudgel; flog; thrash.
-
to defeat decisively, as in a game or contest.
-
to drive as if by flogging.
Latin grammar was drubbed into their heads.
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to stamp (the feet).
noun
verb
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to beat as with a stick; cudgel; club
-
to defeat utterly, as in a contest
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to drum or stamp (the feet)
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to instil with force or repetition
the master drubbed Latin into the boys
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of drub
1625–35; perhaps by uncertain mediation < Arabic ḍarb blow, beating
Vocabulary lists containing drub
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:
Bass bounded into office in 2022, buoyed by a broad coalition and Democratic wall of support that helped her drub billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso, despite Caruso massively outspending her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2025
Bass took advantage of the new political landscape to drub her rival, notching a nearly 10-percentage-point margin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2022
On March 2, Le Batard began the local hour with a lengthy investigation into how the Los Angeles Lakers managed to drub the Miami Heat the night before, putting up 131 points.
From Slate ● Apr. 13, 2018
After all, the rule of thumb for a century has been drub the bums and play .500 against top teams.
From Washington Post ● May 30, 2016
And now if he don't drub the allies, there is 'no purchase in money.'
From Life of Lord Byron, Vol. 3 With His Letters and Journals by Thomas Moore
Others have had their moments: Fellow debutants Curacao scored against Germany - despite being drubbed - Jordan pushed Austria for long periods and DR Congo held Portugal.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
They will be playing a Thunder team that drubbed them in the regular season, including a 43-point stomping just last month.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2026
The Cardinals’ friskiness is being chatted about because of preseason expectations, but they’ve quietly been drubbed the last three weeks, losing by more than two touchdowns in all three weeks while failing to cover.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 20, 2023
The two have met twice this century, both in Fiesta Bowls, both occasions for Notre Dame to wind up drubbed.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 15, 2022
The Guardians were drubbed in trenchant leaders and indignant letters.
From Ginx's Baby: his birth and other misfortunes; a satire by Edward Jenkins
Turnover after such an electoral drubbing is not uncommon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
But Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow James Lindsay told AFP that "the historic drubbing that Republicans took on election day happened for reasons that go well beyond Iran."
From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026
The drubbing also raised questions about the government's record.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Tech stocks look poised to recover from Thursday’s memory-led drubbing while the broad market is mixed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
He still smarted, more from Ellidyr’s words than from the drubbing; and he was hardly pleased that Eilonwy had seen him sprawled at the feet of the arrogant Prince.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
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