rub

rub1 [ rʌb ] verb **

1. ) intransitive or transitive to press and move your hands or an object over a surface:

rubbing the magic lamp

rub something off something: Rub off the skins of the peppers when they have softened.

a ) to move something such as a cloth backward and forward across a surface to clean it, dry it, or make it smooth:

rub something off something: He rubbed the dirt off the license plate with his sleeve.

b ) to move your hand backward and forward across a part of someone's body while pressing firmly, especially because that part of the body hurts:

Scott gently rubbed her back until the pain went away.

2. ) transitive to press and move one object against another or against a surface:

rub something together: Rub your hands together, it will help you to stay warm.

rub something against something: The cat rubbed its cheek against my leg.

a ) intransitive to hurt or damage something by continuously pressing and moving against it:

Cindy's new shoes were rubbing and giving her blisters.

3. ) transitive to spread a liquid or substance onto the surface of something:

rub something on something: She rubbed some tanning oil on his back.

rub something with something: Rub the chicken with garlic before putting it in the oven.

rub salt into a wound INFORMAL

to make a bad situation even worse for someone

rub shoulders with someone INFORMAL

to meet and talk to important or famous people:

She's rubbed shoulders with millionaires.

rub someone the wrong way INFORMAL

to do or say things that annoy someone:

Laura has a habit of rubbing people the wrong way.

,rub `down phrasal verb transitive

to clean a horse's body by rubbing it with a brush

a. to dry someone's body by rubbing it with a towel:

Leslie was rubbed down with blankets after she was pulled out of the cold water.

I rubbed myself down with a dry towel.

b. to rub a surface to make it smooth or dry

,rub `in phrasal verb transitive

to mix something such as butter or fat into another substance such as flour, using your fingers

rub it in or rub someone's face/nose in it

to remind someone of something stupid or bad that they did:

Please, will you stop rubbing it in, I know I shouldn't have brought Steve to the party, but I did.

,rub `off on phrasal verb transitive

rub off on someone if something such as a good quality rubs off on someone, they start to develop it:

Hopefully her enthusiasm will rub off on the rest of the team.

,rub `out phrasal verb transitive

1. ) AMERICAN INFORMAL to kill someone

2. ) BRITISH to ERASE something you have written or drawn

a ) to remove writing or drawing from a BLACKBOARD, WHITEBOARD, etc. so that the surface is clean

rub

rub 2 [ rʌb ] noun

1. ) count the action of rubbing part of the body:

a rub on the back

a foot rub

a ) the action of rubbing something with a cloth, etc.:

Give your shoes a quick rub.

2. ) the rub LITERARY a problem or difficult situation