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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To rub off

Rub \Rub\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing.] [Probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. rhwbiaw, gael. rub.]

  1. 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.

  2. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.

  3. 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.

  4. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.

    The smoothed plank, . . . New rubbed with balm.
    --Milton.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

    1. To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse.

    2. 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.

      1. To burnish; to polish; to clean.

      2. 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.