rub

[ ruhb ]

/ rʌb /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: rub / rubbed / rubbing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), rubbed, rub·bing.

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), rubbed, rub·bing.

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.

a rough or abraded area caused by rubbing.

Verb Phrases

rub down,

to smooth off, polish, or apply a coating to: to rub a chair down with sandpaper.
to give a massage to.

rub off on, to become transferred or communicated to by example or association: Some of his good luck must have rubbed off on me.

rub out,

to obliterate; erase.
Slang. to murder: They rubbed him out before he could get to the police.

OTHER WORDS FOR rub

14 hitch, catch, thing, trouble, pinch.

See synonyms for rub on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about rub

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 salt in / into someone's wounds. salt¹ (def. 23).

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.).

Origin of rub

1300–50; 1860–65 for def. 18b; Middle English rubben (v.); cognate with Frisian rubben,Danish rubbe,Swedish rubba

OTHER WORDS FROM rub

un·rubbed, adjectivewell-rubbed, adjective

Words nearby rub

Ru, RU 486, ruana, Ruanda, Ruanda-Urundi, rub, rubaboo, rub-a-dub, rubáiyát, Rubaiyat stanza, Rubʿ al Khali

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rub in a sentence

You’ll need a good shoulder rub after setting up a large massage chair.
Best massage chair: Take relaxation to a new level right in your living room|Irena Collaku|August 13, 2021|Popular-Science
That’s the rub because when you have these large companies spending millions and millions of dollars on performance and then they try to add a brand layer, they have no way of connecting the dots and it doesn’t make sense to them.
Media Buying Briefing: How two friends reluctantly got into media and built their agency from scratch into a $200 million business|Michael Bürgi|July 19, 2021|Digiday
I might use granulated garlic in stir-fry or a rub for meat that I’m going to grill where I want the garlic to hold up to the cooking process a little bit longer, or I want a little bit of more distinctive garlic flavor.
How and when to use garlic powder, a reliable seasoning that deserves respect|Aaron Hutcherson|June 25, 2021|Washington Post
However, the standards have yet to be finalized by GARM, and therein lies the rub.
Why Facebook actually has not agreed to everything MRC requires in its brand safety audit|Kate Kaye|June 8, 2021|Digiday

The report claimed that he gave unsolicited back rubs, asked colleagues on dates, and at one point poured a beer on the head of a coworker during a social event.
NY Times Outcasts Bari Weiss and Andy Mills Teaming Up for New Podcast Venture|Maxwell Tani, Lachlan Cartwright|April 23, 2021|The Daily Beast
Rub the loin with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rub pork loin with paprika, Cajun seasoning, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Epic Meal Empire’s Meat Monstrosities: From the Bacon Spider to the Cinnabattleship|Harley Morenstein|July 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rub is that these devices have been in short supply lately.
The Romantic Comedy Is Dead|Andrew Romano|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maybe the cleric can rub his own magic lamp, and ask it to explain the concept known as brain drain.
Iran Cleric: Jews Use Sorcery to Spy|IranWire|July 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When you get a new one they tell you to put coco-butter on your fingers and rub it a lot so it won't show so much.
Gordie Howe Hockey’s Greatest War Horse|W.C. Heinz|May 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And, old ink pot, tuck a horse blanket under my chin, and rub me down with brickbats while I feed!
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Others again put the varnish on and rub it off in places to resemble the wear of age.
Violins and Violin Makers|Joseph Pearce
But indeed, it was useless to rub her eyes, the dwarfs did not vanish, and so she was obliged to believe that they were real.
Honey-Bee|Anatole France
She would put her paws on his shoulders, and rub his face, and purr in a most contented manner.
The Nursery, January 1873, Vol. XIII.|Various
If he were to rub one of these pictures when dry, he would find it almost entirely removable from the glass.
Notes and Queries, Number 178, March 26, 1853|Various

British Dictionary definitions for rub

rub

/ (rʌb) /

verb rubs, rubbing or rubbed

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 rubbingrub it clean

(tr) to spread with pressure, esp in order to cause to be absorbedhe rubbed ointment into his back

(tr) to mix (fat) into flour with the fingertips, as in making pastry

(foll by off, 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

(tr often foll by together) 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 way to 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 rub an 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
informal a piece of good or bad luck

See also rub along, rub down, rub in, rub off, rub out, rub up

Word Origin for rub

C15: perhaps from Low German rubben, of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with rub

rub

In addition to the idioms beginning with rub

rub down
rub elbows with
rub in
rub off on
rub one's hands
rub out
rub someone's nose in it
rub the wrong way
rub up on

also see:

the rub