Library / English Dictionary

RUB

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: rubbed    , rubbing   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of rubbing or wiping

Example:

he gave the hood a quick rub

Synonyms:

rub; wipe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("rub" is a kind of...):

contact; physical contact (the act of touching physically)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rub"):

scuff (the act of scuffing (scraping or dragging the feet))

Derivation:

rub (move over something with pressure)

rub (scrape or rub as if to relieve itching)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An unforeseen obstacle

Synonyms:

hang-up; hitch; rub; snag

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rub" is a kind of...):

obstacle; obstruction (something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move over something with pressure

Example:

rub oil into her skin

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "rub" is one way to...):

draw; guide; pass; run (pass over, across, or through)

"Rub" entails doing...:

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rub"):

brush (rub with a brush, or as if with a brush)

pumice (rub with pumice, in order to clean or to smoothen)

gauge (rub to a uniform size)

puree; strain (rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender)

rosin (rub rosin onto)

sponge down; sponge off (clean with a sponge, by rubbing)

worry (touch or rub constantly)

scour; scrub (clean with hard rubbing)

abrade; scour (rub hard or scrub)

blur; smear; smudge; smutch (make a smudge on; soil by smudging)

grate; scrape (scratch repeatedly)

pass over; wipe (rub with a circular motion)

grate (reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence examples:

They rub sugar over the cake

They rub the cake with sugar

Also:

rub down (manually manipulate (someone's body), usually for medicinal or relaxation purposes)

rub down; rub off (wear away)

rub out (remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing)

Derivation:

rub (the act of rubbing or wiping)

rubbing (effort expended in moving one object over another with pressure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause friction

Example:

my sweater scratches

Synonyms:

chafe; fray; fret; rub; scratch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "rub" is one way to...):

adjoin; contact; meet; touch (be in direct physical contact with; make contact)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

rubbing (the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

Example:

Don't scratch your insect bites!

Synonyms:

itch; rub; scratch

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "rub" is one way to...):

irritate (excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

rub (the act of rubbing or wiping)

Credits

 Context examples: 

As to that, said he, I must rub through the world as well as I can.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

“I believe that he is coming here,” said Holmes, rubbing his hands.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It can be caused by rubbing, heat, or diseases of the skin.

(Blister, NCI Dictionary)

It can be caused by taking certain drugs, or rubbing certain essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants) or other topical agents into the skin.

(Phototoxicity, NCI Dictionary)

Over time, this rubbing can permanently damage the joint.

(Osteoarthritis, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Skin findings arising from repeated rubbing, picking or scratching of a real or imagined irritation of the skin.

(Neurodermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

"It's the best we've had yet," said Meg, as the dead villain sat up and rubbed his elbows.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It also protects bones by preventing them from rubbing against each other.

(Cartilage Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

He chuckled; he rubbed his hands.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"Well, what do you think of that?" cried the Professor, rubbing his hands with an air of triumph.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)