The Collaborative International Dictionary
Rub \Rub\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing.] [Probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. rhwbiaw, gael. rub.]
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To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper.
It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth.
--Sir T. Elyot. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
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To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
Two bones rubbed hard against one another.
--Arbuthnot. -
To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
The smoothed plank, . . . New rubbed with balm.
--Milton. -
To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation.
--South. -
To hinder; to cross; to thwart. [R.] 'T is the duke's pleasure, Whose disposition, all the world well knows, Will not be rubbed nor stopped. --Shak. To rub down.
To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse.
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To reduce or remove by rubbing; as, to rub down the rough points. To rub off, to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, to rub off rust. To rub out, to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain. To rub up.
To burnish; to polish; to clean.
To excite; to awaken; to rouse to action; as, to rub up the memory.
Usage examples of "to rub off".
I tried to rub off the acid with dirt, and applied saliva to it as I kept on digging.
It made him want to rub off the powders and paints to see what was beneath.
His luck was best with random things, like dice, but perhaps a little more was beginning to rub off on cards.
There has been an unwise and spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to grow a goatee, hence a fluffy little tuft of something or other, just underneath the centre of his lower lip, that any mother would want to rub off with a bit of spit.
Sight of the blood on his hands, which he tried to rub off, appeared to inflame him to a great degree.
If this was a match and a single one, it was of great importance not to rub off the phosphorus.