- present participle of rub.
rubbing
Americannoun
-
rubbings
plural
-
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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
When Saint slipped and hurt her arm, the Method actor said she decided to use the pain and can be seen rubbing her elbow in the film.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
In a video accompanying the ad, Kelce could be seen rubbing shoulders with a host of famous faces, including Gigi Hadid, Frances Tiafoe, and Carmelo Anthony, while making his way through Manhattan’s famed Plaza Hotel.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 7, 2026
In court on Thursday, the suspect appeared to be emotional, keeping his head down and rubbing his eyes as the judge set his bond and remanded him back into police custody.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
In the kitchen, Gruel recommends rubbing it with avocado oil, salt and fresh herbs.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
“It’s homework,” he muttered, rubbing stubborn sleep out of his eyes.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Similarly, a study published in May in the journal Communications Biology found that elephants form complex "sentences" through their various rumbles, ear flags, trunk rubbings and other actions.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2024
Visitors are invited to make rubbings, with paper, on their surfaces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2022
Rather, in the course of intensive therapy, such memories emerge like gravestone rubbings.
From New York Times ● Jul. 20, 2021
In 2016 graphic designer Marina Willer created a booklet of neon rubbings; manhole colouring books are available for people seeking mindfulness; and a Shoreditch company offers framed prints of rubbings for £80.
From BBC ● May 14, 2021
On the ride back to school the rubbings made by the other children are torn up, crumpled, tossed at one another’s heads, abandoned below the dark green seats.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
