rub up
verb
rubbed up; rubbing up; rubs up
1
: to revive or refresh knowledge of : recall
2
: to improve the keenness of (a mental faculty)
Examples of rub up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The comical tone rubs up, often awkwardly, against the more serious themes the film introduces about repression and misogyny.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Freshman players had to rub up against the line of men to get to their showers, according to the suit.
—Alejandra Molina, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023
In that extreme environment, the largest and smallest things in the universe rub up against one another.
—Adam Mann, Scientific American, 22 June 2023
According to The New York Times, bears rub up against objects like trees to communicate using scent, remove hair and itch themselves, and possibly, to use resin and sap as a natural tick repellent.
—Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 14 June 2023
And the hallways are wider, as women during the bygone era had large dresses and needed to pass each other without rubbing up against each other.
—Allyson Portee, Forbes, 2 May 2023
The decision to sell is not an easy one for people caught up in FTX and other crypto bankruptcies, whose desire to close out a painful chapter rubs up against a determination to avoid being taken advantage of twice over.
—WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023
Complete, utter silence, except for the hum of generators and the swish of winter coats rubbing up against each other as those wearing them hugged.
—David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
The image sparked something, the blurry, second-hand details rubbing up against a burial site inside me.
—Hazlitt, 7 Dec. 2022
See More
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Freshman players had to rub up against the line of men to get to their showers, according to the suit.
—Alejandra Molina, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023
In that extreme environment, the largest and smallest things in the universe rub up against one another.
—Adam Mann, Scientific American, 22 June 2023
According to The New York Times, bears rub up against objects like trees to communicate using scent, remove hair and itch themselves, and possibly, to use resin and sap as a natural tick repellent.
—Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 14 June 2023
And the hallways are wider, as women during the bygone era had large dresses and needed to pass each other without rubbing up against each other.
—Allyson Portee, Forbes, 2 May 2023
The decision to sell is not an easy one for people caught up in FTX and other crypto bankruptcies, whose desire to close out a painful chapter rubs up against a determination to avoid being taken advantage of twice over.
—WIRED, 30 Mar. 2023
Complete, utter silence, except for the hum of generators and the swish of winter coats rubbing up against each other as those wearing them hugged.
—David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, 16 Feb. 2023
The image sparked something, the blurry, second-hand details rubbing up against a burial site inside me.
—Hazlitt, 7 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rub up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near rub up
Cite this Entry
“Rub up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20up. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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