rub in

British  

verb

1. to spread with pressure, esp in order to cause to be absorbed

2. informal to harp on (something distasteful to a person, of which he or she does not wish to be reminded)

---

rub in Idioms  

1. Also, rub it in. Harp on something, especially an unpleasant matter, as in She always rubs in the fact that she graduated with honors and I didn't, or I know I forgot your birthday, but don't keep rubbing it in. This idiom alludes to the expression rub salt into a wound, an action that makes the wound more painful; it dates from medieval times and remains current. [Mid-1800s] Also see rub someone's nose in it.

---

Example Sentences

“The ‘rub in’ method is basically with your hands so that you can actually feel the butter going into the flour.

From Salon

Sports costs became a major rub in the recent dispute.

From Los Angeles Times

The dance begins when Tribus pretends to spit on the floor and rub in the spit with his foot.

From New York Times

Did she really need to rub in her first-place reign?

From Literature

And if you’re a hairy man, be sure to carefully rub in the sunscreen, says Stacy P. Salob, clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• accentuate
• affirm
• assert
• highlight
• indicate
• maintain
• point out
• reiterate
• repeat
• underline
• underscore