rub

1 of 2

verb

ˈrəb 

rubbed; rubbing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move along the surface of a body with pressure : grate

b(1)

: to fret or chafe with or as if with friction

(2)

: to cause discontent, irritation, or anger

2

: to continue in a situation usually with slight difficulty

in spite of financial difficulties, he is rubbing along

3

: to admit of being rubbed (as for erasure or obliteration)

transitive verb

1

a

: to subject to or as if to the action of something moving especially back and forth with pressure and friction

b(1)

: to cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface

(2)

: to treat in any of various ways by rubbing

c

: to bring into reciprocal back-and-forth or rotary contact

2

: annoy, irritate

rub

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an unevenness of surface (as of the ground in lawn bowling)

b

: obstruction, difficulty

the rub is that so few of the scholars have any sense of this truth themselves

—Benjamin Farrington

c

: something grating to the feelings (such as a gibe or harsh criticism)

d

: something that mars serenity

2

: the application of friction with pressure

an alcohol rub

3

US : a combination of spices that is rubbed into the surface of meat before the meat is cooked

used a dry rub on the pork ribs

Phrases

rub elbows or rub shoulders

: to associate closely : mingle

rub one's nose in

: to bring forcefully or repeatedly to one's attention

rub the wrong way

: antagonize, irritate

Synonyms

Verb

• abrade
• chafe
• corrade
• erode
• fray
• frazzle
• fret
• gall
• rasp
• wear

Noun

• aggravation
• aggro [British]
• annoyance
• bother
• botheration
• bugbear
• exasperation
• frustration
• hair shirt
• hassle
• headache
• inconvenience
• irk
• irritant
• nuisance
• peeve
• pest
• ruffle
• thorn
• trial
• vexation

Examples of rub in a Sentence

Verb

Could you rub my shoulders?

He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

The cat rubbed itself against my leg.

The cat rubbed against my leg.

Don't rub too hard or you'll tear the paper.

He rubbed his hands with glee.

There was a squeak when the boards rubbed together.

The back of my shoe is rubbing against my heel and giving me a blister.

There are marks where the chair has rubbed against the wall.

There are marks where the chair has been rubbing the wall.

Noun

She's an amazing cook, but she rarely has time to make meals. There's the rub.

He used his favorite rub on the steaks.

a dry rub for chicken

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Two Michigan players were seen squinting and rubbing their eyes after the on-field brawl, sideline footage shared by FOX College Football shows. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 30 Nov. 2024

Tree Wrap Tree wrap may be a better option than guards, as it can be used on a variety of trunk sizes and protects against nibbling, rubbing, and bark damage that results when tender bark warms up in winter sunlight and quickly freezes at sunset. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2024

Noun

Things looked bleak when tight end Cole Kmet was called for offensive pass interference on fourth-and-4 from the Lions’ 44-yard on a rub play that sprung Moore for a 22-yard gain. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024

Shake onto eggs, or use it as a dry rub or stew enhancer. —Megan Zhang, Saveur, 13 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English rubben; akin to East Frisian rubben to rub, scrape, Icelandic rubba to scrape

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing rub

• back rub
• rub along
• rub elbows with
• rub in
• rub off
• rub out
• rub salt in/into someone's wounds
• rub salt in/into the wound
• rub shoulders with
• rub someone's nose in
• rub (someone) up the wrong way
• rub up
• Therein/There lies the rub
• the rub

Kids Definition

rub

1 of 2 verb

ˈrəb 

rubbed; rubbing

1

a

: to move along the surface of a body with pressure

b

: to wear away or chafe with friction

2

: to scour, polish, erase, spread, or smear by pressure and friction

rub

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: something that gets in the way : difficulty

b

: something that is annoying

2

: the act of rubbing

Medical Definition

rub

noun

ˈrəb 

1

: the application of friction with pressure

an alcohol rub

2

: a sound heard in auscultation that is produced by the friction of one structure moving against another