rubbing
Americannoun
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an act or action of a person or thing that rubs.
-
an impression of an incised or sculptured surface made by laying paper over it and rubbing with heelball, graphite, or a similar substance until the image appears.
noun
Etymology
Origin of rubbing
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at rub, -ing 1
Vocabulary lists containing rubbing
Visual Arts - Introductory
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Visual Arts - High School
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Visual Arts - Middle School
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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.
"For a brief second, I thought there was someone with a squeegee mop cleaning the outside of the window. I turned around, and it was the bear's wet nose rubbing against the window."
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Kylie Jenner kept rubbing and patting Chalamet’s hand while he nervously jiggled his right leg.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
Meeting up with friends, rubbing fabric between their fingers and the overall vibe of wandering through a bustling shopping center are experiences they can’t get online.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026
Marc Short, the former vice president’s lieutenant, was less restrained in rubbing the decision in Trump’s face.
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026
And as much as I loved holding a cottontail in my arms and rubbing its soft fur with my cheek, I loved it even more in a stew with a few carrots.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
