Rub — Defs

01 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 mo…

imp. & p. p. Rubbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing

1.
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.
“It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth.” — Sir T. Elyot.
2.
To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
3.
To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
“Two bones rubbed hard against one another.” — Arbuthnot.
4.
To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
“The smoothed plank, . . . New rubbed with balm.” — Milton.
5.
To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
“The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation.” — South.
6.
To hinder; to cross; to thwart.[R.]
“'T is the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubbed nor stopped.” — Shak.

Phrases & compounds

To rub down — To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse

To rub off — to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, to rub off rust.

To rub out — to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain.

To rub up — To burnish; to polish; to clean

02 v. i. To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.

1.
To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.
2.
To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.
3.
To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world.

Phrases & compounds

To rub along [or] on — to go on with difficulty; as, they manage, with strict economy, to rub along.

03 n. The act of rubbing; friction.

1.
The act of rubbing; friction.
2.
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.
“Every rub is smoothed on our way.” — Shak.

“To sleep, perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub.” — Shak.

“Upon this rub, the English ambassadors thought fit to demur.” — Hayward.

“One knows not, certainly, what other rubs might have been ordained for us by a wise Providence.” — W. Besant.
3.
Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness.
4.
Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.
5.
Imperfection; failing; fault.[Obs.]
6.
A chance.[Obs.]
“Flight shall leave no Greek a rub.” — Chapman.
7.
A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone. Also: rubstone

Phrases & compounds

Rub iron — an iron guard on a wagon body, against which a wheel rubs when cramped too much.

Rub of the green — anything happening to a ball in motion, such as its being deflected or stopped by any agency outside the match, or by the fore caddie.