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rub - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'rub' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Rub [ n.]
- The act of rubbing; friction.
- That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.
- Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness.
- Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.
- Imperfection; failing; fault.
- A chance.
- A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone.
2 . Rub [ v. i.]
- To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.
- To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.
- To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world.
3 . Rub [ v. t.]
- To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper.
- To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
- To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
- To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
- To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
- To hinder; to cross; to thwart.

Meaning of 'rub' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . rub [ n]
Meaning (1):
- the act of rubbing or wiping
Example in sentence:
  • he gave the hood a quick rub
2 . rub [ v]
Meaning (2):
- scrape or rub as if to relieve itching
Example in sentence:
  • Don't scratch your insect bites!
Meaning (3):
- cause friction
Example in sentence:
  • my sweater scratches
Meaning (4):
- move over something with pressure
Example in sentence:
  • rub my hands;
  • rub oil into her skin

Nearby Words:

ruba-dub rubato rubbage rubbed rubber rubbidge rubbing rubbish rubble rubblestone

See 'rub' also in:

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Related Definitions

  • Rubbing Compound
    Rubbing Compound is an abrasive paste that smoothes and polishes paint films. This is also commonly known as polishing compound.

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