Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

rub up

British  

verb

  1. to refresh one's memory (of)

  2. (tr) to smooth or polish

"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

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.

In that extreme environment, the largest and smallest things in the universe rub up against one another.

From Scientific American

As the star swelled, a companion object began to rub up against its outer layers, heating them up and causing them to brighten in the infrared.

From Science Magazine

Kristensen said the more numerous Chinese submarine deployments have meant the PLA and U.S. militaries increasingly "rub up" against each other - increasing the odds of accidental conflict.

From Reuters

We grab our soap and wade out into the river’s side channel for a wash-up and dip before breakfast, hoping a gar doesn’t rub up against our legs with its jagged teeth and prehistoric scales.

From Los Angeles Times

“That term would always slightly rub up against me,” he told The Washington Post in a recent video interview, speaking from his home in Brooklyn.

From Washington Post