English Explanatory Dictionary

rub

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An act of rubbing.
  2. A difficulty or problem.
  3. A quip or sarcastic remark.
  4. In the game of crown green bowls, any obstacle by which a bowl is diverted from its normal course.
  5. Any substance designed to be applied by rubbing.
  6. A mixture of spices applied to meat before it is barbecued.
  7. A loan.
verb
  1. To move (one object) while maintaining contact with another object over some area, with pressure and friction.
  2. To be rubbed against something.
  3. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
  4. To move or pass with difficulty.
  5. To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; often with up or over.
  6. To hinder; to cross; to thwart.
  7. To touch the jack with the bowl.
noun
  1. Any of a group of proteins similar to ubiquitin
  2. Initialism of rich urban biker.

Pronunciation

/ɹʌb/ rŭb en-us-rub.ogg /ɹʊb/

Word forms

rub rubs rubbing rubbed

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English rubben, of unknown origin; possibly ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rubbōną, related to *reufaną (“to tear”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian rubje (“to rub, scrape”), German Low German rubben (“to rub”), Low German rubblig (“rough, uneven”), Dutch robben, rubben (“to rub smooth; scrape; scrub”), Danish rubbe (“to rub, scrub”), Icelandic and Norwegian rubba (“to scrape”). More at reave. Compare typologically Latin fricō < friō < Proto-Indo-European *bʰreyH- (whence also Russian брить (britʹ, “to shave”)).

Synonyms

hitch hiccup catch kink glitch snag rub

Related words

act sexually make clean sexually stimulate

Derived words

backrub chest rub chub rub Dutch rub footrub hand rub heat rub Martindale rub test Princeton rub rub and tug rub board rub-board rub-boardist rub iron rub-off rub of the green rubproof rubstone rub-up therein lies the rub rerub rub along rub away rubbable rubber rubbing rubboard rub down rub elbows rub in rub it in rub off rub off on rub one off rub one out rub oneself off rub one's face with a brass candlestick rub one's hands rub one's hands together rub out rub salt in someone's wounds rub salt in the wound rub shoulders rub someone's face in rub someone's nose in rub someone the wrong way rub the fear of God into rub up rub up against rub up on rub up the wrong way two brain cells to rub together two pennies to rub together

Translations

Russian: растира́ние Russian: расти́рка
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