drub

verb \ ˈdrəb \

Definition of drub

drubbed; drubbing

transitive verb

1 :to beat severely

2 :to berate critically

3 :to defeat decisively

intransitive verb

:drum, stamp

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drubber

noun

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drubbing

noun

See drub defined for kids

drub was our Word of the Day on 08/31/2013. Hear the podcast!

Examples of drub in a Sentence

a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene
we drubbed our traditional football rivals so badly that it was basically no contest

Recent Examples of drub from the Web

Then, forced to start rookie quarterback Connor Cook after then-backup Matt McGloin was hurt in Week 17, they were drubbed in their playoff game at Houston.

— jarrett bell, USA TODAY, "Raiders push Derek Carr to reach next level, guide breakthrough," 13 June 2017
David Freese drove in three runs, including an RBI single between a bizarre pair of seventh-inning stretches, and the Pittsburgh Pirates drubbed the New York Mets 11-1 Sunday.

— ben walker, courant.com, "Odd 7th-Inning Stretches Don't Stop Pirates, Beat Mets, 11-1," 4 June 2017
Freese drove in three runs, including an RBI single after things went a little haywire, and the Pirates drubbed the New York Mets 11-1 Sunday.

— ap, USA TODAY, "Odd 7th-inning stretches don't stop Pirates, beat Mets 11-1," 4 June 2017
The lineup drubbed St. Louis starter Michael Wacha and produced four runs in the third.

— andy mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers win sloppy affair with Cardinals, 9-4," 30 May 2017
The former Beatle, who has a small part in the upcoming 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,' wrote, produced, scored and played himself in 1984's critically drubbed 'Give My Regards to Broad Street.'

— bill higgins, The Hollywood Reporter, "Hollywood Flashback: Before 'Pirates,' Paul McCartney Starred in a "Dumb" Film Dud," 25 May 2017
Televisions hanging throughout the concourse were tuned to the game, the wine- and craft-beer-sipping crowd ooh-ing and ahh-ing as the Cavs drubbed the Boston Celtics.

— marc bona, cleveland.com, "Grapes & Ale 2017 sells out, raises $100,000 for Our Lady of the Wayside (photos, video)," 20 May 2017
The Astros drubbed the Rangers 10-1 Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park and are a win from sweeping the four-game series.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram.com, "No comeback needed, Astros drub Rangers 10-1," 3 May 2017
Less than 24 hours after they were drubbed by the Tigers 19-9, losing both Felix Hernandez and Mitch Haniger to injuries, the Mariners had to try and regroup with roster reinforcements to replace what was lost and what wasn’t working.

— ryan divish, The Seattle Times, "Mariners place Felix Hernandez, Mitch Haniger on the 10-day disabled list," 26 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'drub.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Sportswriters often use drub, but the term's history reveals that it wasn't always a sporting word. When drub was first used in English, it referred to a method of punishment that involved beating the soles of a culprit's feet with a stick or cudgel. The term was apparently brought to England in the 17th century by travelers who reported observing the punitive practice in Asia. Etymologists are uncertain of the ultimate origin of drub, but some have speculated that it may have evolved from the Arabic word daraba, meaning "to beat."