Word of the Day

: March 23, 2007

drub

verb DRUB

What It Means

1 : to beat severely

2 : to berate critically

3 : to defeat decisively

drub in Context

After being drubbed by the worst team in the league, the hometown players slunk into the locker room with their heads hung low.

Did You Know?

Sportswriters often use "drub," but the term's history reveals that it wasn't always a sporting word. When "drub" was first used in English, it referred to a method of punishment that involved beating the soles of a culprit's feet with a stick or cudgel. The term was apparently brought to England in the 17th century by travelers who reported observing the punitive practice in Asia. Etymologists are uncertain of the ultimate origin of "drub," but some have speculated that it may have evolved from the Arabic word "daraba," meaning "to beat."

*Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence.