rub

1 of 2

verb

rubbed; rubbing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to move along the surface of a body with pressure : grate
b(1)
: to fret or chafe with or as if with friction
(2)
: to cause discontent, irritation, or anger
2
: to continue in a situation usually with slight difficulty
in spite of financial difficulties, he is rubbing along
3
: to admit of being rubbed (as for erasure or obliteration)

transitive verb

1
a
: to subject to or as if to the action of something moving especially back and forth with pressure and friction
b(1)
: to cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface
(2)
: to treat in any of various ways by rubbing
c
: to bring into reciprocal back-and-forth or rotary contact
2

rub

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an unevenness of surface (as of the ground in lawn bowling)
b
: obstruction, difficulty
the rub is that so few of the scholars have any sense of this truth themselvesBenjamin Farrington
c
: something grating to the feelings (such as a gibe or harsh criticism)
d
: something that mars serenity
2
: the application of friction with pressure
an alcohol rub
3
US : a combination of spices that is rubbed into the surface of meat before the meat is cooked
used a dry rub on the pork ribs
Phrases
rub elbows or rub shoulders
: to associate closely : mingle
rub one's nose in
: to bring forcefully or repeatedly to one's attention
rub the wrong way

Examples of rub in a Sentence

Verb Could you rub my shoulders? He blinked and rubbed his eyes. The cat rubbed itself against my leg. The cat rubbed against my leg. Don't rub too hard or you'll tear the paper. He rubbed his hands with glee. There was a squeak when the boards rubbed together. The back of my shoe is rubbing against my heel and giving me a blister. There are marks where the chair has rubbed against the wall. There are marks where the chair has been rubbing the wall. Noun She's an amazing cook, but she rarely has time to make meals. There's the rub. He used his favorite rub on the steaks. a dry rub for chicken
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The awarding of the offensive foul was a decision Gobert and his teammates disputed and in the aftermath, cameras caught the incredulous Frenchman rubbing his thumbs and forefingers together, a gesture often associated with money. Ben Morse, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Next, pat each egg dry with a paper towel, but be careful not to rub or wipe the egg's surface, as this might smear or remove the dye from the shell. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Mar. 2024 Don’t spray it directly on your face, and apply it to your own hands first before rubbing it on your children’s skin. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024 Do Tarantulas Growl? Some tarantulas, like the Goliath bird-eating tarantula, might rub their hairs together to defend themselves. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The product is then rubbed onto the skin, just like any other solid deodorant. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 22 Feb. 2024 Elsewhere the seasoning needs tuning: The spice rub on the shrimp cocktail is harshly salty and unnecessary, and rockfish ceviche over mashed avocado and covered with pomegranate and pumpkin seeds could simply use more acid. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 The matter circling the black hole rubs together, creating friction that releases glowing heat that can be seen from far away. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Feb. 2024 Buy a pre-seasoned beef brisket and rub it with brown sugar. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024
Noun
For deer, this can be droppings, tracks, beds, rubs, and scrapes. Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024 Texas uses both dry rubs and sauces to enhance the barbecue flavors. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024 Texas smoke masters use dry rubs for their brisket. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2024 Here, cumin, ginger, and marjoram are used in seasoning rubs. Kayla Stewart, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024 Apply a liberal amount of rub to both sides of the ribs. Kathy Mooreand, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 Get The Recipe 05 Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings Pitmaster Wade Reich of Butts To Go in Pell City, Alabama, shared his rub recipe with us that is all kinds of good. Emma Phelps, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024 In this recipe, a juicy mango salsa cools and complements the savory spicy rub for a perfectly balanced bite. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024 The restaurant has begun a Texas expansion and already has opened locations in Round Rock and San Antonio, serving a full menu of pizzas, burgers, salads and wings with a choice of 25 rubs or sauces. Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rub.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rubben; akin to East Frisian rubben to rub, scrape, Icelandic rubba to scrape

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rub was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rub

Cite this Entry

“Rub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rub

1 of 2 verb
rubbed; rubbing
1
a
: to move along the surface of a body with pressure
b
: to wear away or chafe with friction
2
: to scour, polish, erase, spread, or smear by pressure and friction

rub

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: something that gets in the way : difficulty
b
: something that is annoying
2
: the act of rubbing

Medical Definition

rub

noun
1
: the application of friction with pressure
an alcohol rub
2
: a sound heard in auscultation that is produced by the friction of one structure moving against another

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