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
Her harness also rubbed up against her fur from being on too long.
—
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Or the earth’s great tectonic plates can rub up against each other and build pressure, more pressure, more pressure, until—boom!—an earthquake happens.
—Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Massage the chops with the barbacoa rub up to two days in advance.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
Should your dog rub up against something toxic, look out for biting, licking, and guarding the area, such as their paws, bellies, undersides, and tails.
—Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rub up
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Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Or the earth’s great tectonic plates can rub up against each other and build pressure, more pressure, more pressure, until—boom!—an earthquake happens.
—Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Massage the chops with the barbacoa rub up to two days in advance.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
Should your dog rub up against something toxic, look out for biting, licking, and guarding the area, such as their paws, bellies, undersides, and tails.
—Amelia Arvesen, Outside Online, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rub up
Cite this Entry
“Rub up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rub%20up. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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