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单词 rub
释义

rubn.1

Brit. /rʌb/, U.S. /rəb/
Forms: 1500s–1600s rubbe, 1500s– rub, 1600s–1700s rubb.
Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: rub v.1
Etymology: < rub v.1The reason for use in British Navy slang in sense 10 is unclear, although it has been suggested that it may have arisen in the context of borrowing boot polish or cleaning polish. Others have argued that it represents a shortening of rub-a-dub or rub-a-dub-dub as rhyming slang for sub n.1 (compare sub n.6); however, no earlier evidence for the longer forms in this sense seems to exist (compare rub-a-dub n., rub-a-dub-dub n.).
1.
a. English regional (East Anglian). A stone used for sharpening a scythe; a whetstone. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > shaping tools or equipment > [noun] > sharpening > whetstone
whetstonec725
hone-stone1393
filourc1400
hone1440
rub1502
rubber1553
knife-stone1571
stone1578
oilstone1585
block1592
oil whetstone1601
greenstone1668
scythe-stone1688
water stone1703
sharping-stone1714
Scotch stone1766
honer1780
Turkey hone1794
polishing-slate1801
burr1816
Turkey stone1816
German hone1817
Arkansas1869
rag1877
rock1889
slipstone1927
1502–3 in D. Dymond Reg. Thetford Priory (1995) I. 163 For a rubbe and mendyng of a lokke.
1654 in D. Yaxley Researcher's Gloss. Hist. Documents E. Anglia (2003) 174 For a Rubb for ye Gardiners use.
1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 321 Rub, the gritty, silicious aggregate with which the lusty mower whets his scythe.
1892 P. H. Emerson Son of Fens xiv. 110 Ha' you got a good old rough rub? My cutter is rather thick.
1920 E. Gepp Contrib. Essex Dial. Dict. 30 Rub, a stone for sharpening scythes, etc.
1954 A. O. D. Claxton Suffolk Dial. 63 Rub, a long soft rough stone used for sharpening scythes and sickles.
†b. A plater's tool used for burnishing silver. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > shaping tools or equipment > [noun] > smoothing > for metal > for delicate or precious
rub1870
1870 Eng. Mechanic 25 Feb. 573/1 We now come to the ‘rubbing’, which is a sort of burnishing with a rough burnisher called a rub.
2.
a. Bowls. An unevenness of the ground which impedes or diverts a bowl; the slowing or diversion of a bowl caused by this. Now rare.With quot. 1678 cf. sense 2c.In the 16th and 17th centuries frequently in figurative contexts.Also in proverb they who play at bowls must expect rubs and variants: cf. they who play at bowls must look for (also must expect, will meet with) rubbers at rubber n.3
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > bowls or bowling > [noun] > obstruction of bowl
rub1577
rubbing1598
set1876
1577 R. Stanyhurst Hist. Irelande iii. 100/2 in R. Holinshed Chron. I Whereby appeareth howe daungerous it is to be a rubbe, when a King is disposed to sweepe an Alley.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II iii. iv. 4 Lady Madame weele play at bowles. Quee. Twil make me thinke the world is full of rubs, And that my fortune runs against the bias. View more context for this quotation
a1627 T. Middleton No Wit (1657) ii. 58 There's three rubs gone, I've a clear way to th' Mistress.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. xix. 440 He would not..lay the unexpected rubs in the allie to the bowlers fault, who took good aim though missing the mark.
1678 J. Flavel Divine Conduct 262 Not our choice of the ground, or skill in weighing and delivering the Bowl, but some unforeseen Providence, like a rub in the Green.
1757 J. Abercrombie in R. Rogers Jrnl. (1883) 73 It is impossible to play at bowls without meeting with rubs.
1795 Ld. Nelson Let. 1 Sept. in Dispatches & Lett. (1845) II. 79 However, they who play at bowls must expect rubs.
1803 W. Taplin Sporting Dict. I. 83 He that plays at bowls, must expect rubs.
1845 Times 7 Apr. 4/6 They who play at bowls, says an old proverb, must expect rubs.
1876 Encycl. Brit. IV. 180/2 A ‘rub’..is when a jack or bowl, in transitu, comes in contact with any object on the green.
1900 Sport of Kings 147 Of course, it is an understood thing that he who plays bowls must expect rubs.
†b. gen. Any physical obstacle or impediment to movement, esp. one that is unexpected. Also in figurative contexts. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > absence of movement > [noun] > deprivation of movement > by hindering or obstructing passage > that which
tangling1575
moil1611
turnagain1630
rub1663
cut-off1874
1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies Pref. sig. A2 She [sc. Nature] runs sometimes against her bias, when the rub of some unusual impediment disturbs her, but quickly recovers into her more easie and native course.
1715 J. T. Desaguliers tr. N. Gauger Fires Improv'd 59 Water..passes along..whilst it has no resistance before it; but if it meets with any rub, it spreads all round about.
1753 W. Hogarth Anal. Beauty x. 61 The point of the pencil..would perpetually meet with stops and rubs.
1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. xvii. 201 Men..who would be perpetually putting rubs before the wheels of good government.
1821 W. Scott Kenilworth II. iv. 70 There will be rubs in the smoothest road, specially when it leads up hill.
c. rub of (also †on) the green n. (a) Golf an accidental interference with the course or position of a ball; (b) figurative good (also bad) fortune, esp. as determining events in a sporting match.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [noun] > accidental interference
rub of (also on) the green1812
1812 in J. B. Salmond Story of R. & A. (1956) 78 Whatever happens to a Ball by accident must be reckoned a Rub of the green.
1881 R. Forgan Golfer's Handbk. 35 Rub on the Green.
1898 W. G. Van T. Sutphen Golficide 158 Half the members of the club didn't know the difference between ‘one off two’ and a ‘rub of the green’.
1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 31 Dec. 1048/4 If he is unfortunate in having finished his task before his problem was knocked completely out of shape by England's suspension of the gold standard, that is just the ‘rub of the green’.
1966 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 20 June 38e If a tree falls over on the other guy and he flubs a shot, it's ‘rub of the green’ and on to the next shot.
2007 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 12 July (Sport section) 3 We have had some games where the rub of the green hasn't gone our way.
3.
a. An obstacle, impediment, or difficulty of a non-material nature.Very common during the 17th and 18th centuries.In some instances difficult to distinguish from the use of sense 2b in figurative contexts. In later use perhaps with allusion to sense 3c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > [noun] > one who or that which hinders > a hindrance, impediment, or obstacle
hinderc1200
withsetting1340
obstaclec1385
traversea1393
mara1400
bayc1440
stoppagec1450
barrace1480
blocka1500
objecta1500
clog1526
stumbling-stone1526
bar1530
(to cast) a trump in (one's) way1548
stumbling-stock1548
hindrance1576
a log in one's way1579
crossbar1582
log1589
rub1589
threshold1600
scotch1601
dam1602
remora1604
obex1611
obstructiona1616
stumbling-blocka1616
fence1639
affront1642
retardance1645
stick1645
balk1660
obstruent1669
blockade1683
sprun1684
spoke1689
cross cause1696
uncomplaisance1707
barrier1712
obstruct1747
dike1770
abatis1808
underbrush1888
bunker1900
bump1909
sprag1914
hurdle1924
headwind1927
mudhole1933
monkey wrench1937
roadblock1945
1589 H. Smith Christians Sacrifice sig. B3v This hath bin the rubbe euer since reformation began, Herod cannot see how he shoulde bee King, if Christ should raigne.
1607 T. Middleton Michaelmas Terme iv. sig. H2 I haue no sence to sorrowe for his death, whose life was the onely Rub to my affection.
1640 K. Digby in Lismore Papers (1888) 2nd Ser. IV. 135 Your father..is at euery rubb called vpon by the King, as yf nothing could be well done, that he did not dictate.
1686 J. Goad Astro-meteorologica i. xviii. 116 We must look for some Rubs in pursuit of Natural Knowledge.
1718 J. Breval Play is Plot iv. i. 37 My good Genius has thrown all these rubs in my Way, to prevent my Destruction.
1724 J. Swift Let. to People of Ireland 12 Which is a great Smoother of Rubs in Publick Proceedings.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §176 These unexpected rubs were not however insuperable.
1806 W. Scott 11 Feb. in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott II. iii. 93 Notwithstanding some little rubs, I have been able to carry through the transaction.
1814 Lady Burghersh Lett. (1893) 179 We had then just heard of the rub which Sacken's corps, under Blücher, had received.
1834 J. S. Mill Let. 17 Jan. in Wks. (1963) XII. 210 He is able to get over everything though constantly meeting with rubs.
1959 F. O'Connor Let. 18 Feb. in Habit of Being (1980) 320 It appears that I have finished my novel. I am not actually sure which is where the rub comes.
1991 Film Comment Mar.–Apr. 7/3 The rub is that Republic was different from MGM, Paramount, Warner, and Universal.
b. Followed by in (also on) one's way, course, etc.Very common in the 17th and 18th centuries.
ΚΠ
1590 ‘Pasquil’ First Pt. Pasquils Apol. sig. A4 Some small rubs, as I heare, haue been cast in my way to hinder my comming forth, but they shall not profit.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry V (1623) ii. ii. 185 We doubt not now, But euery Rubbe is smoothed on our way. View more context for this quotation
1632 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 4) iii. ii. v. v. 585 They are well inclined to marry, but one rub or other is euer in the way.
1641 R. Baker Apol. Lay-mens Writing in Divinity 115 The Clergie man hath..many Imployments which are as rubs in his course of Learning.
1697 J. Sergeant Solid Philos. 62 Some Rubs I have put in the way of this Pretence.
1728 C. Cibber Vanbrugh's Provok'd Husband ii. i. 34 If it is not too far gone; at least it may be worth ones while to throw a Rub in his way.
1764 G. Onslow Let. 17 Feb. in Life & Corr. Philip Yorke (1913) III. xxxii. 564 We have had some rubs in the course of it.
1790 By-stander 25 If the sister throws any rub in my way, so much the worse for her.
1816 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 20 Apr. 500/2 There is a little rub in the way of this prospect of harmony and loyalty and delight; to wit, the price of the guinea and the rate of exchange.
1874 C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David IV. (Psalms lxxxiv. 6) 74 Though troubles of the world seem rubs in the way to blessedness, yet in truth they are none.
1973 M. Stewart Hollow Hills i. ix. 99 This affair of the child..was now little but a rub in the way of major issues.
1990 Guardian (Nexis) 5 July Mr Ridley has thrown a rub in the way of further expansion of the French presence in Britain's water industry.
c. there's (also here lies) the rub.In subsequent quots. with allusion to quot. 1604.
ΚΠ
1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet iii. i. 67 To sleepe, perchance to dreame, I there's the rub . View more context for this quotation
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 533. ⁋1 But her Relations are not Intimates with mine. Ah! there's the Rub.
1769 O. Goldsmith in C. Lennox Sister Epil. sig. L2v I will. But how! ay, there's the rub!
1821 W. Scott Pirate III. vii. 167 Here lies the rub... When she hears of you she will be at you.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop vii. 119 ‘To be sure’ said Dick. ‘There's the rub.’
1887 A. Jessopp Arcady i. 28 Oh, the labour market! there's the rub!
1903 Literary World July 175/2 ‘I'm sure if I had the capital I could do a successful business. But all we who could do things if’—‘Aye! there's the rub,’ interrupted the Essayist.
1965 Rotarian Nov. 29/3 Pigeons and people were crowded together in ever-increasing concentrations, and here lies the rub.
2004 C. Holt More than Seduction 224 But there's the rub, you see. I can't be linked to a scandal.
†4. A rough or uneven feature. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > unevenness > [noun] > roughness > rough part, object, or feature
roughOE
ragged?c1225
roughnessa1398
ruba1616
asperity1662
chicken skin1897
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iii. i. 135 To leaue no Rubs nor Botches in the Worke. View more context for this quotation
1647 H. More Cupid's Confl. xxxii Nor rub nor wrinkle would thy verses spoil, Thy rhymes should run as glib and smooth as oyl.
a1682 Sir T. Browne Christian Morals (1716) ii. 61 Animals..are able to discover the inequalities, rubbs, and hairiness of the Skin.
1747 Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 78/2 It may be drawn over a floor with such notches, or rubs.
5.
a. An act or spell of rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > [noun]
frotting?c1225
chafinga1398
rubbinga1398
confricationc1400
frettingc1400
attrition1601
fricacing1607
perfrication1607
triture1607
affrication1615
affriction1615
confriction1617
rub1618
frication1631
intertrigation1651
perfriction1656
friction1718
interfrication1747
adhesion1825
chafe1848
interfriction1854
1618 W. Lawson New Orchard & Garden viii. 23 That no tree..touch his fellowes... If they touch, the winde will cause a forcible rub.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 96 It costs him many a Rub with his Paws, before he can make his Top-lights to shine clearly.
1743 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman Oct. 128 Preserve young Hedges..from the destructive Bite and Rub of Cattle.
1812 J. Sinclair Acct. Syst. Husbandry Scotl. ii. App. 13 It got a good rub of harrowing, so as to fill up the seams betwixt the furrows.
1839 A. Ure Dict. Arts 597 For every six turns of circular motion, it must receive two or three rubs across the diameter.
1891 C. Roberts Adrift in Amer. 138 By doing this the feathers all came off with a rub.
1909 Chatterbox 118/2 I gave the glass bull's eyes in the swing-ports a rub with a cloth.
1962 Changing Times Feb. 18/1 Everyone secretly wishes he had an Aladdin's lamp that with no more effort than a rub or two would bring him success.
2005 A. Smith Accidental 181 She brushed the dusty oil off it [sc. a stone] and then gave it a rub on her leg.
†b. spec. The act of rubbing down a horse. Cf. rubdown n. 1. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping or management of horses > [noun] > grooming of horses
hostlership1627
rub1662
grooming1813
ostlering1838
wisp1844
1662 Dk. Newcastle's Racing Rules (MS. Wood 276 a, f. 149) The reliefe is to be onely water, the Rub but halfe an houre, and then the Judge is to bid them mount.
c. A massage; a rub-down.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > physiotherapy > [noun] > massage
champing1698
shampooing1762
massing1825
shampoo1838
massage1866
rub1879
massotherapy1890
massage therapy1972
1879 Brentano's Aquatic Monthly & Sporting Gazetteer May 125 Strip, rub thoroughly dry, then pass the sponge with cold water rapidly over the body, after which a brisk rub, first with towels, after which with bare hands or flesh gloves.
1901 Med. Rec. 27 July 155/1 Cool or cold sponge baths in the morning, followed by a rub with oil or alcohol, were often beneficial.
1922 Rotarian Jan. 9/1 Here, let me give you a rub. I'll give your rheumatism the quick finish.
1978 G. McDonald Fletch's Fortune vi. 45 I plan to go sit in the sauna and have a rub.
1999 Time Out N.Y. 25 Feb. 13/1 The young therapist..gave me a rub that was a newfangled combo of Reiki (a technique that focuses on energy flow), deep tissue and Swedish.
d. Chiefly North American. A scrape or other mark left by an act or spell of rubbing; esp. a worn area on a tree created when a deer or other animal rubs against it in order to remove velvet from antlers, mark territory, etc.
ΚΠ
1885 R. S. S. Baden-Powell Cavalry Instr. 84 Sitting badly in the saddle makes it wobble about, or brings undue pressure on some portion of the horse's back, and the consequence is that a sore back or a bad rub is soon started.
1939 N. Carolina: Guide to Old North State (Federal Writers' Project) 447 Apparent in the forest are bear wallows and grubbings, also deer rubs, where the bucks polish their hardening antlers.
1989 Peterson's Hunting Ann. 1990 30/2 You'll find rubs, but scrapes are hard to locate. I key on high spots in the deep swamps because deer will go to them to rest.
2005 T. Airhart Elk Hunting Guide xix. 334 You can cause a bad rub on the horse's hide if the saddle or blanket slides out of position.
6.
a. An encounter with something annoying or disagreeable; an unpleasant experience in one's relations with others.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [noun] > unpleasantness > unpleasant experience
rencounter1589
rencontre1661
rub1733
dose1847
cold shower1875
murder1878
bummer1967
a1627 R. Shelford Theologia amantis Deum in Five Pious Disc. (1635) 194 This touch is that which Divines call the habit of charitie, alwaies enclining and bending to heaven and heavenly things through all the rubs of the world.
a1644 F. Quarles Solomons Recantation (1645) Sol. ix. 48 Then chear, my soul; Let not the rubs of earth Disturb thy peace, or interrupt thy mirth.
1733 Miss Kelly in J. Swift Lett. (1768) IV. 41 Your friendship..makes me bear the common rubs of life with patience.
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. i. 4 We sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance the value of its other favours.
1822 Ld. Dudley Let. 23 Aug. (1840) 352 A man of business should be quick, decisive, and callous against small rubs.
1862 G. W. Thornbury Life J. M. W. Turner I. 336 The Téméraire had doubtless had its rubs as a French battle-ship.
1899 Speaker 29 July 106/2 His deanery palled on him..; its quasi-episcopal rubs and worries..were to him intolerable.
1928 E. Garnett Lett. from Joseph Conrad (1956) Introd. 18 Taking the daily trials and rubs of life off his shoulders.
1962 C. S. Lewis Let. 8 Nov. in Lett. to Amer. Lady (1971) 109 The only alternatives are either solitude..or else all the rubs and frustrations of a joint life.
2008 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 8 Aug. 22 Why leave an island some call ‘Paradise’ to endure the strains and rubs of life in Israel?
b. An intentional injury inflicted on the feelings of another; esp. (in later use) a minor reproof or dig, a jibe. Now rare (chiefly Scottish and Irish English in later use). Sc. National Dict. (at cited word) records this sense as still in use in Orkney, Caithness, Aberdeen, and Kirkcudbright in 1968.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > [noun] > cause of annoyance or vexation
thornc1230
dreicha1275
painc1375
cumbrance1377
diseasec1386
a hair in one's necka1450
molestationc1460
incommodity?a1475
melancholya1475
ensoigne1477
annoyance1502
traik1513
incommode1518
corsie1548
eyesore1548
fashery1558
cross1573
spite1577
corrosive1578
wasp1588
cumber1589
infliction1590
gall1591
distaste1602
plague1604
rub1642
disaccommodation1645
disgust1654
annoyment1659
bogle1663
rubber1699
noyancea1715
chagrins1716
ruffle1718
fasha1796
nuisance1814
vex1815
drag1857
bugbear1880
nark1918
pain in the neck (also arse, bum, etc.)1933
sod1940
chizz1953
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > rebuke or reproof > [noun] > mild > instance of
a flap with a fox tail1553
rub1642
a slap in (or on) the face, in the eye, on the wrist1914
a tap on the wrist1973
wrist-slap1977
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 89 Both the former rubs, and this affront..wrought a marvellous abasement in his soule.
1677 tr. A.-N. Amelot de La Houssaie Hist. Govt. Venice 277 They many times give them such rubs and mortifications, that they are quickly taken down.
1720 D. Defoe Life Capt. Singleton 192 You have always one dry Rub or another to give us.
1780 F. Burney Let. May in Early Jrnls. & Lett. (2003) IV. 119 He failed not to give me a rub for my old offence.
1842 R. H. Barham Auto-da-fé in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Ser. 68 Each felt the rub, And in Spain not a Sub, Much less an Hidalgo, can stomach a snub.
1887 J. Service Life Dr. Duguid xvi. 102 She seldom saw me but she gied me a bit rub aboot Leezie.
1899 G. Greig Logie o' Buchan iv. 54 Halket..couldn't refrain from giving his young associate ‘a rub in the bygaun’.
1958 B. Behan Borstal Boy iii. 216 The other fellows might give me a rub about Ireland or about the bombing campaign.
7. British regional. With the. Frequently in plural = rubbers n. Now historical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > animal disease or disorder > disorders of sheep > [noun] > other disorders of sheep
pocka1325
soughta1400
pox1530
mad1573
winter rot1577
snuffa1585
leaf1587
leaf-sickness1614
redwater1614
mentigo1706
tag1736
white water1743
hog pox1749
rickets1755
side-ill1776
resp1789
sheep-fag1789
thorter-ill1791
vanquish1792
smallpox1793
shell-sicknessc1794
sickness1794
grass-ill1795
rub1800
pine1804
pining1804
sheep-pock1804
stinking ill1807
water sickness1807
core1818
wryneck1819
tag-belt1826
tag-sore1828
kibe1830
agalaxia1894
agalactia1897
lupinosis1899
trembling1902
struck1903
black disease1906
scrapie1910
renguerra1917
pulpy kidney1927
dopiness1932
blowfly strike1933
body strike1934
sleepy sickness1937
swayback1938
twin lamb disease1945
tick pyaemia1946
fly-strike1950
maedi1952
nematodiriasis1957
visna1957
maedi-visna1972
visna-maedi1972
1800 Ann. Agric. 34 418 I also lost from forty to fifty ewes by a complaint..called by the shepherds the rubs or the rubbers, from their seeming to rub themselves to death, by which some very capital flocks of Norfolks, in the vicinity of Bury [St Edmunds], have lost several hundreds.
1808 T. H. Horne Compl. Grazier (ed. 3) 207 Those animals which are fed on fine, rich soils are more liable to the rub than those which are pastured on poor lands.
2008 Brain Res. Bull. 77 347/2 (table) Rub/Rubbers. England.
8. A sound as of rubbing; (Medicine) a crackling sound heard with the stethoscope, indicative of friction between the parietal and visceral layers of the pleura, pericardium, or peritoneum, resulting from inflammation or fibrosis.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > harsh or discordant quality > [noun] > rubbing
rub1846
1846 T. Addison in Half-yearly Abstr. Med. Sci. 4 41 Neither can the croaking sounds produced in the bronchi be always distinguished from the pleuritic rub.
1854 Brit. & Foreign Medico-chirurg. Rev. 14 6 Pressure intensifies the noise, and converts it into a rustle or rub.
1888 P. H. Pye-Smith Fagge's Princ. & Pract. Med. (ed. 2) II. 171 On applying my stethoscope I at once heard a rub.
1904 tr. H. Nothnagel Dis. Intestines & Peritoneum 770 Fibrinous exudates may occasionally lead to friction between the two layers of the peritoneum and to a rough friction-rub audible on auscultation.
1950 Audio Engin. Aug. 15/3 When the cause of the noise is mechanical, as in defective or ill-designed speakers, pickups and microphones, we may hear rattles,..rub, and wheeze.
2001 Ann. Thoracic Surg. 71 2034/1 A pericardial rub was heard at the left lower sternal border.
9. An ointment or (esp.) liniment that is rubbed on the body for therapeutic purposes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines of specific form > ointments, etc. > [noun] > ointment
salvea700
balsamumc885
smerlesa1000
balmc1220
salvinga1300
ointmentc1300
unguenty1721
magma1749
rub1867
1867 Med. Times & Gaz. 2 Nov. 512/2 She would not..use anything but a ‘rub’ for her neck, which her father came in for the next morning to the Dispensary.
1927 C. C. Hopkins My Life in Advertising xvii. 186 There are many things in advertising too costly to attempt... An ointment, for instance, or a germicide, a treatment for asthma or hay fever, a rub for rheumatism.
1937 Zanesville (Ohio) Signal 9 Feb. 12 (advt.) Wind & Weather Lotion is the hand and body rub that makes a perfect powder-base and keeps your skin petal-soft.
1996 Health Advisor Dec. 84/1 If used mixed with a carrier oil, such as almond oil, it provides a warming rub which will invigorate and help with feelings of lethargy and listlessness.
2001 B. Geddes World Food: Caribbean Gloss. 233/1 In the Caribbean, bay rum is traditionally used as a rub for muscular pain or minor skin irritation.
10. British Navy slang. A loan (of something). Also with at.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > lending > [noun] > (a) loan
loanc1290
commodatum1572
lendc1575
mutuation1604
commodate1728
service1810
accommodation1823
rub1902
1902 J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang VI. i. 65 Rub, (military).—a loan: as of a newspaper.
1914 ‘Bartimeus’ Naval Occasions xxi. 193 ‘Don't you take on, Taff,’ said another, pushing over his pannikin of rum. ‘'Ave a rub at this lot.’
1919 W. Lang Sea-lawyer's Log xiii. 162 ‘Innyone as hasn't had a letter can have a rub of mines,’ says Moriarty, the big Irishman, generously.
1948 E. Partridge et al. Dict. Forces' Slang 158 Give us a rub of five bob till pay day!
1989 R. Jolly Jackspeak 242 Anyone give us the rub of a tenner?

Compounds

rub resistance n. resistance to rubbing; spec. the degree to which ink will withstand rubbing without becoming smudged or detached.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > printing > printed matter > arrangement or appearance of printed matter > [noun] > qualities of print
colour1808
rub resistance1939
1939 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 9 Mar. 14/1 (advt.) Tremendous shoulder and sidewall strength for curb and rub resistance makes this tire truly a brute.
1958 E. A. Apps Printing Ink Technol. xxvii. 431 A high standard of rub-resistance is necessary in inks used for food cartons which are jostled in transport, and for display cards which are frequently handled.
1998 Paper Focus May 39/2 (advt.) A surface improvement developed over the past two years ensuring reduced drying times and greater rub resistance whilst retaining superb print definition and consistency.
rub-resistant adj. resistant to rubbing; spec. (of ink) that is able to withstand rubbing without becoming smudged or detached.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > printing > printed matter > arrangement or appearance of printed matter > [adjective] > qualities of print
rub-resistant1947
letter-quality1974
1947 Jrnl. Hygiene 45 207/2 It forms in a few minutes a dry rub-resistant skin.
1958 E. A. Apps Printing Ink Technol. xxvii. 432 Inks which tend to give gloss and very level films are also usually fairly rub-resistant.
1997 R. J. Stokes & D. F. Evans Fund. Interfacial Engin. viii. iv. 436 Rub-resistant inks do exist. They contain waxes and other compounds to bind the pigment to the paper, but they are more expensive.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

† rubn.2

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: rub v.2
Etymology: < rub v.2
Cards. Obsolete. rare.
In various card games: the action of taking all the cards of one suit. Cf. rub v.2
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > actions or tactics > winning or losing points or tricks
trick1607
rub1613
slam1660
vole1680
sans prendre1728
grand slam1800
single1850
1613 N. Breton Vncasing Machiuils Instr. 9 At Ruffe and Trumpe note thou the dealers rubs.
1613 N. Breton Answer in Vncasing Machiuils Instr. F 2 For deale or rub, whose hap so ere it be to haue, The knaue of Clubs will euer be a knaue.]
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2018).

rubn.3

Brit. /rʌb/, U.S. /rəb/
Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: rubber n.2
Etymology: Shortened < rubber n.2
Now rare.
= rubber n.2 1d.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > game or match > set of games
rubber1740
rub1818
1818 London Lit. Gaz. 1 Aug. 492/1 I had scarcely got clear of this engagement, and of five guineas at the same time, having lost five points upon the rub, when I was entreated to sit down to cassino.
1859 J. Lang Wanderings in India 9 The good players are playing high..—five gold mohurs on the rub.
1887 J. Ashby-Sterry Lazy Minstrel (1892) 139 We've heaps of friends, a quiet ‘rub’, A pleasant dinner at the Club.
1911 Encycl. Brit. XXVIII. 594/2 The two trebles and the rubber (or ‘rub’) count eight points; treble, single and the rub count six points.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

rubv.1

Brit. /rʌb/, U.S. /rəb/
Forms: Middle English robbe, Middle English robby (south-western), Middle English robe, Middle English–1500s rube, Middle English–1600s rubbe, Middle English– rub, 1500s rob, 1500s roub, 1600s roubb; Scottish pre-1700 rob, pre-1700 roub, pre-1700 rubb, pre-1700 rubbe, pre-1700 rube, pre-1700 1700s– rub.
Origin: Of uncertain origin.
Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps related to German regional (Low German: East Friesland) rubben to rub, to scratch, to scrape, to tear (compare Middle Low German rubbelich , rubberich , both in sense ‘uneven, rough’), Icelandic rubba to rub, to scrape, to smooth, Norwegian rubba to scrub, to rub, to smooth, Swedish rubba to move, to disturb, to change, Danish rubbe to rub, to scrub, of uncertain origin; perhaps a derivative (intensive) formation < an ablaut variant (zero-grade) of the same Germanic base as Old English *rēofan (only attested in past participle rofen rent, broken), Old Icelandic rjúfa to break, rip up, break a hole in, break up, violate (see reave v.1).
1.
a. transitive. To apply pressure and friction to (something, esp. a part of the body, a horse, etc.) using a repeated back and forth motion; to soothe, relax, or refresh in this way; to massage. Also with complement expressing the resulting state.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)]
gnidec1000
frot?c1225
gnoddec1230
rudc1300
ruba1325
wipe1362
freta1400
labour?a1475
wrive1481
scrud1483
chafe1526
friga1529
fricace1579
perfricate1598
affricate1656
fricate1716
frictionize1853
a1325 St. George (Corpus Cambr.) l. 46 in C. D'Evelyn & A. J. Mill S. Eng. Legendary (1956) 157 (MED) Euere lai þis holyman as him noþing nere To sulte so þat quike uleiss and robby wiþ an here.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. 99 (MED) Þis doctour, As rody as a rose, rubbed [v.r. robbed; C. roddede] his chekes.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 438 (MED) Ruddon, idem quod rubbyn [Winch. rubbone].
1483 Catholicon Anglicum (BL Add. 89074) (1881) 313/1 To Rub, fricare.
a1500 Gospel of Nicodemus (Harl. 149) (1974) 75 (MED) Bloode and watyr..avaled downe by the speere and touched hys honde, wher-wyth he rubbed hys yghen.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 695/1 Rubbe the chyldes heed, nouryce, to bring hym aslepe.
1553 J. Bale Vocacyon 35 b A gentilman of the contraie..rubbed me on the elbowe and bad me..lete him alone.
1611 Bible (King James) Tobit xi. 12 And when his eyes beganne to smart, he rubbed them. View more context for this quotation
1678 Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1890) App. V. 48 A wolfe's tooth..to rub his teeth with for easier breeding them.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iv, in tr. Virgil Wks. 138 Th' officious Nymphs..rub his Temples, with fine Towels, dry. View more context for this quotation
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 284 I..caused Friday to rub his Ankles.
1761 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy III. ii. 10 The natural exigency my father was under of rubbing his head.
1826 F. Reynolds Life & Times I. 145 Sending our horses to the stables, and seeing them well rubbed, and fed.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Day-dream in Poems (new ed.) II. 157 The king awoke,..And yawn'd, and rubb'd his face.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 404 Socrates, sitting up on the couch, began to bend and rub his leg.
1937 J. Steinbeck Of Mice & Men 37 He rubbed his white bristled cheek with his knuckles.
1972 N. Freeling Long Silence (1975) ii. 177 He blew out smoke in a noisy puff, rubbed his head, and wondered what it all meant.
2005 GQ Sept. 199/2 ‘I love to play cowboy and Indian,’ she said as she rubbed his chest.
b. intransitive. To apply pressure and friction to something using a repeated back and forth motion. Also with against, at, on, or upon.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (intransitive)]
rubc1400
streak1607
chafe1608
fret1654
c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. x. 81 To karde and to kembe..To rubbe and to rely.
a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Lamb.) (1887) i. l. 8198 (MED) Þe dragons..Spatled, spouted, belewed, & byten..rubbed [?a1400 Petyt rombed], & brent.
?a1500 (a1475) Wright's Chaste Wife (1869) l. 349 Thowe schalt rubbe, rele, and spynne.
1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc World Surveyed 320 Where the fish lye so thick, the ship brushes, and rubbes upon them as 'twere sayling through a shelf of sand.
1662 Dk. Newcastle's Racing Rules (MS. Wood 276 a, f. 149) There must be three heats, the first to Sparton-hill, there to rub halfe an hour.
1762 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. ii. v. 169 The left side of the soke rubs upon the firm land.
1840 D. Lardner Treat. Geom. 189 As the surface of the cylinder is prevented from rubbing or slipping on the surface on which it rests.
1964 A. S. Byatt Shadow of Sun iv. 109 Henry sat up again and rubbed at the back of his neck. He said, ‘I think I must've wrenched something.’
1990 M. Twelveponies Starting Colt vii. 35 It is okay if the colt moves around, but if he tenses up, I keep rubbing but go back toward his withers.
c. transitive. Of an animal: to press with friction against (a thing), esp. in order to relieve itching, or as a sign of affection. Also intransitive, frequently with against.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > rub against or grind
rub1566
fridge1607
grind1644
fray1884
harsh1889
1566 T. Blundeville Order curing Horses Dis. liii. f. 35, in Fower Offices Horsemanshippe If you se that..he [sc. a horse] leaue not rubbing, then mark in what place he rubbeth.
1790 W. Marshall Rural Econ. Midland Counties I. xxxv. 368 There are townships without a tree in them, or a post of any kind for the cattle to rub against.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel I. 154 Idle cows rubbing the post.
1880 Davenport (Iowa) Morning Tribune 13 Sept. One by one they [sc. cattle] rubbed that electric fence, and as fast as they did they jumped, bawled, kicked, [etc.].
1904 Trans. Mass. Hort. Soc. i. 40 Cattle rub trees, break branches, and are generally injurious.
1934 M. Moore Let. 27 Nov. (1997) 332 If Badger had known how great a man he was he would have been afeered to rub against his leg.
1992 Canad. Geographic Jan. 30/2 The whales come to rub on gravel beaches at Robson Bight.
2003 R. Gilbert A to Z Guide White-tailed Deer 137 It is at this stage of antler development that a buck starts to rub trees, fence posts, or brush.
d. intransitive. slang. To masturbate. Cf. to rub up 3b at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > masturbation > masturbate [verb (intransitive)]
frig1598
mastuprate1623
masturbate1839
to jerk off1865
rub1902
to rub up1902
wank1905
to jack off1916
to pull one's (or the) pud (also pudding, wire, etc.)1927
to toss off1927
to play pocket billiards1940
to beat one's meat1948
to wank off1951
whack1969
to choke the chicken1975
fap2001
1902 J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang VI. at Rub To masturbate..; also to rub up.
2010 K. M. Soehnlein Robin & Ruby 125 He put his hand down his pants and rubbed until he had an orgasm.
2.
a. transitive. To bring (something) into contact with another body or surface by means of pressure and friction applied with a repeated back and forth motion. With against, on, over, together, upon.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > rub against or grind > rub one thing against another
ruba1350
risp?1440
confricate1638
grind1644
a1350 Recipe Painting in Archæol. Jrnl. (1844) 1 65 (MED) Tac an houndus tooh ant vasne in a stikkes ende ant robbe uppon thi lettre.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 265v Þe asse robbeþ and froteþ hire fleissh aȝeins þe þornes.
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 80 (MED) Rubbe it [sc. diamond] on þe safir or on cristall.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xii The shepe wyll rubbe them on the stakes.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Frico To rubbe their sides agaynst the tree.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 402 Take a Taylors pressing yron made hot and rub it vp and downe vpon the cloath.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 108 He rubs his sides against a Tree. View more context for this quotation
1757 A. Cooper Compl. Distiller ii. vi. 131 Take some fine Loaf Sugar, and..Oil,..rub them well together in a Glass Mortar.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 334 Others are of opinion the sound is produced by rubbing its hinder legs against each other.
1811 A. T. Thomson London Dispensatory iii. 535 Rub them together until the globules disappear.
1847 W. C. L. Martin Ox 161/1 The tormented animal rubs itself against posts, palings, gates, or the boles of trees.
1863 ‘G. Eliot’ Romola II. vii. 72 [He] closed his eyes and rubbed his hands over his face and hair.
1922 F. Dorrance tr. P. Sorauer Man. Plant Dis. (ed. 3) I. v. xx. 782 Deer and roebuck rub their horns up and down against the tree, to free them from the velvet.
1989 V. Singh In Search of River Goddess 30 Pratap got up slowly, rubbed his hands on his pyjamas and with a heavy gait, walked to the kitchen.
2004 I. M. Banks Algebraist (2005) iii. 167 Fassin rubbed his hand over its port tail fin. ‘All prepped and ready, Herv?’
†b. transitive. figurative. To fix (a charge, etc.) on (also upon) a person. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > accusation, charge > accuse [verb (transitive)] > fasten upon
fastOE
fastenc1390
rub1618
pina1627
1618 Abp. Spottiswoode in Spottiswoode Misc. (1844) I. 86 I feare it be the purpose of many to rubbe this waye vpon his Majesty the imputation of tyrannie.
1660 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (1872) II. 190 [He] did..utter cursses and imprecatiouns against the compleeners, viz., God rub shame upon them.
c1690 J. Fraser Mem. in Sel. Biogr. Wodrow Soc. (1847) II. 184 It offends God by rubbing a lie on him, and calling the work of his spirit a natural work.
c. transitive. To bring (two things) into reciprocal contact with one another; to cause to associate (with that or those of others). Cf. to rub shoulders at Phrases 4, to rub elbows at Phrases 5, to rub noses at Phrases 6.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > be near to [verb (transitive)] > place near > place in contact > a part of the body
set971
rub1645
1645 S. Rutherford Tryal & Triumph of Faith Ep. Ded. sig. *3 We cannot but rub skins with corruption.
a1656 A. Gray Spiritual Warfare (1672) vii. 166 You should not rub cloths with him, not touch him.
1863 Sat. Rev. 4 Apr. 437 The river is wide enough..to allow..steamboats to keep within view of the race without absolutely rubbing sides.
1939 P. G. Chadwick Death Guard i. 32 Mahogany, gilt, oil-paintings rubbed corners with aluminium and futurisms, and that subdued disposition of souvenirs.
1998 Chicago Tribune 7 Dec. iii. 2/6 Wealthy blowhards who call themselves ‘Bowl Scouts’ want to don eyesore blazers and rub egos with big-name coaches.
3.
a. transitive. To make clean, smooth, sharp, or dry by means of pressure and friction applied with a repeated back and forth motion. Frequently with complement expressing the resulting state, and with with. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > scouring, scrubbing, or rubbing > scour, scrub, or rub [verb (transitive)]
ruokenc1275
scour?a1366
ruba1382
shorec1460
off-scour1578
scrubc1595
to rub up1605
hog1651
scummer1678
scurrifunge1789
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > scrape or rub smooth
polisha1382
ruba1382
scrapec1430
abrase?a1475
to rub down1794
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Lev. vi. 28 Ȝif hit were abrasyn vessel, hit shal be rubbed [L.V. scourid] & washe wiþ water.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Miller's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 559 Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes With dust wt sond, wt straw, wt clooth, wt chippes But Absolon.
a1450 Late Middle Eng. Treat. on Horses (1978) 105 (MED) Wasche þe schabbed stedes with þe hot blod, & when it is drie rubbe him wel with an hors-combe.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. BBBiiiv The more it is polysshed or rubbed, the more perfetly it receyueth the lyght.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 695/1 I rubbe thynges with a cloute to make them cleane, je torche.
1611 B. Rich Honestie of this Age Epil. sig. G4v Such a kinde of subiect, as is..fitting to be roughly rubbed with a reprehending veritie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iii. 114 Goe sir, rub your Chaine with crums.
1678 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. iv. 64 When you have occasion to take your Iron out of the Stock to rub it, that is to whet it.
1749 Ld. Chesterfield Let. 28 Feb. (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1312 You will now, in the course of a few months, have been rubbed at three of the considerable Courts of Europe.
a1756 E. Haywood New Present (1771) 252 To rub the stove and fire-irons.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 491 They are kept very neat, being rubbed with a mop almost every day.
1843 Penny Cycl. XXV. 426/1 The two faces of the tool must be rubbed to such an obtuse angle as to appear almost straight.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xxii. 172 The masses..have been rubbed as round as pebbles.
1861 F. Nightingale Notes on Nursing (new ed.) 61 The old-fashioned polished oak floor, which is wet-rubbed and dry-rubbed every morning to remove the dust.
1966 F. Nwapa Efuru vii. 132 My mother has gone to the market and has asked me to sweep the floor, rub it and wash the plates.
1977 B. Roueché Fago (1978) i. iv. 72 I..picked up the kitchen salt shaker and rubbed it clean.
1984 A. Livingstone Lou Andreas-Salomé iv. 65 Married people change and develop through years of being rubbed and polished against each other.
2004 New Woman May 51/1 Unless you want a barnet like a bird's nest, don't rub your hair with a towel.
b. transitive. To remove, take or clear away, from, off, or out of, by rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > by rubbing
to rub awaya1425
rub?a1500
?a1500 tr. C. de Pisan Epist. of Othea (Harl.) (1942) 136 (MED) Owte of a cankred sweerd is hard to rubbe þe rust.
a1513 W. Dunbar Flyting in Poems (1998) I. 202 Wit and woisdome ane wisp fra the may rub.
a1627 W. Fowler tr. Petrarch Triumphs in Wks. (1914) I. 72 Or evin as one who..Dois with his handis bothe wype and rubb sham furth owt of his eyes.
1799 F. T. Burton Artist's Arcanum 154 Take a piece of free-stone and water, and with this rub the hammer marks out of the plates left by planishing.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality xiv, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. IV. 316 Were he once rubbed out of the way, all, he thinks, will be his own.
1870 ‘F. Fern’ Ginger-snaps 275 Won't the laundress rub the skin off her knuckles when she tries to get the fish-bait off your ruffled skirt.
1922 ‘R. West’ Judge i. iv. 195 Richard was sitting in front of the fire, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
1988 J. Frame Carpathians vii. 46 Ed Shannon rubbed the sweat from his face.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 6 July d9/5 You might also be trying to rub the tendinitis out of your leading elbow.
†c. transitive. figurative. To refresh or stir up (the memory, a recollection); to remind (a person). More usually with up: see to rub up 1 at Phrasal verbs. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > call to mind, recollect [verb (transitive)] > something specified
recollect1559
to rub up?1571
rub1574
recall1579
mind1590
resummon1605
1574 tr. Life 70. Archbishopp Canterbury sig. Bviijv He was wonte to rubbe his minde with the memorye off that sentence, that all fame,..all magistratshippes..shall perishe, and decaye.
1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 13 If at our ariuall thou wilt renew thy tale, I will rubbe my memorie.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 110 This would rub afresh his former injustice..that all men might see apparantly his auarice.
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Spanish Curat ii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. E4/1 The Money rubbs 'em into strange remembrances.
1740 L. Whyte Poems 40 To rub his Memory the better, I sent him weekly down a Letter.
1813 W. Scott Let. 25 July (1932) III. 306 You should rub him often on this point, for his recollection becomes rusty.
1859 in W. D. Seymour: Proc. before Middle Temple Benchers (1862) 196 Have you any documents, or memoranda, or books of any kind, that would rub your memory? I have not at hand.
†d. transitive. To examine closely. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > investigation, inspection > close examination, scrutiny > scrutinize [verb (transitive)]
through-seekOE
gropea1250
to search outa1382
ensearch1382
boltc1386
examinea1387
ransackc1390
ripea1400
search1409
overreach?a1425
considerc1425
perquirec1460
examec1480
peruse?1520
grounda1529
study1528
oversearch1532
perscrute1536
scrute1536
to go over ——1537
scan1548
examinate1560
rifle1566
to consider of1569
excuss1570
ripe1573
sift1573
sift1577
to pry into ——1581
dive1582
rub1591
explore1596
pervestigate1610
dissecta1631
profound1643
circumspect1667
scrutinize1671
perscrutatea1679
introspect1683
rummage1690
reconnoitre1740
scrutinate1742
to look through1744
scrutiny1755
parse1788
gun1819
cat-haul1840
vivisect1876
scour1882
microscope1888
tooth-comb1893
X-ray1896
comb1904
fine-tooth comb1949
1591 G. Babington Serm. Preached at Paules Crosse 41 Yea, rubbing their consciences that whilst they would seeme to thinke reuerently of the Ministery, defraud ye church of their guifts.
1614 D. Dyke Myst. Selfe-deceiuing xxviii. 340 To haue the conscience rubbed and ransacked. So that with Dauid it cryeth, Try mee O Lord.
1653 Z. Bogan Medit. Mirth Christian Life 21 I will not rub the questions whether these angells can contract themselves.
4.
a. transitive. To treat (a surface) with some substance (esp. in a soft or liquid form) applied by means of friction and pressure. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > rub with something
rub?a1425
strake1506
to rub over1647
scrub1844
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 85 (MED) Þe kyng puttez his handes in þe vryne of þe ox..and þerwith he rubbez his frunt and his breste.
?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 174 Ȝef a man rubbe hym with þe jus, it wele distroye ewel ȝowȝte.
c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 f. 113 (MED) Rubbe þe wounde wiþ vinegre & salt til it blede.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ezek. xvi. 4 Thou wast nether rubbed with salt, ner swedled in cloutes.
1566 T. Drant Wailyngs Hieremiah in tr. Horace Medicinable Morall sig. Kiiij Fayre Tsyons elders..Sytte downe in silence deepe. Theyr heade yrubde with ashes pale.
1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing iii. ii. 46 A rubs himselfe with ciuit. View more context for this quotation
1665 S. Patrick Parable of Pilgrim xxix. 345 There is none but either commends a vice, or impresses it on us, or secretly rubs us with it.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 774 The suburb of thir Straw-built Cittadel, New rub'd with Baume. View more context for this quotation
1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 25/1 Beams made of..Thorn rub'd over with Oyl.
1799 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 2 42 The practitioner..directed him to rub every evening, a certain part of his body with the oxygenated ointment.
1847 W. C. L. Martin Ox 172/1 The affected quarter..should be well rubbed with a weak camphorated mercurial ointment.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xxv. 191 He continued to rub his hands with snow and brandy.
1914 M. Gyte Diary 12 Jan. (1999) 12 Anthony went to Bakewell and saw Dr. Knox about his arm. He gave him some liniment to rub it with.
1991 B. Okri Famished Road (1992) ii. i. 78 His spine creaked and we took to rubbing him with a foul-smelling ointment we got from an itinerant herbalist.
2008 BBC Good Food Sept. 61/2 Beetroot can be just thrown into a roasting tin and baked but, for the best results, rub with olive oil.
b. transitive. To spread (a substance) on, over, or upon or force into or through a surface by rubbing. Also figurative (cf. to rub in 4 at Phrasal verbs).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > placing or fact of being placed in (a) position > insertion or putting in > insert or put in [verb (transitive)] > by interweaving > specifically an immaterial thing > by rubbing
rub1778
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > covering > coating or covering with a layer > coat or cover with a layer [verb (transitive)] > smear or spread with a substance > spread by rubbing
rub1778
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > movement over, across, through, or past > [verb (transitive)] > through > cause to pass through > drive or push through > by rubbing
rub1857
?1527 L. Andrewe tr. Noble Lyfe Bestes sig. hi/2 The oxe bones brent to asshes & that rubbed vpon the tethe that be weyke maketh them to stande fast.
1561 J. Hollybush tr. H. Brunschwig Most Excellent Homish Apothecarye f. 23 v Take a quarter of an vnce of iera picra..in your hande, and put and rubbe it into your nose.
1602 in H. Paton Dundonald Parish Rec. (1936) 1 The said Kaithrein..bad hir rub fresch buttir on the kyis wdderis and papis, quhilk scho did and thay mendit.
a1665 K. Digby Closet Opened (1669) 113 You must first bruise the Cherries gently in a mortar, and rub through a sieve all that will pass, and strain the Residue hard through your hands.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World xx. 537 They rub Soot over the greased parts.
1747 H. Glasse Art of Cookery ix. 105 A Potatoe Pudding..rub them through a Sieve..Butter..Sugar..Eggs..Sack or Brandy..Currans.
1778 Encycl. Brit. III. 2293/2 Covering it as thin as possible, and rubbing it into the paper with a leather-stump.
1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xx. 231 I ordered the nitro-muriatic acid liniment to be rubbed over his chest.
1857 T. Moore Handbk. Brit. Ferns (ed. 3) 26 Rub the soil through a sieve with half-inch square meshes.
1894 Athenæum 10 Mar. 316/2 The following lesson..cannot be too thoroughly rubbed into the present as well as the rising generation.
1920 Amer. Woman Aug. 9/3 The woman who has acquired blackheads..may begin to improve the texture of her skin by thoroughly cleansing it with a grease cream rubbed well into the complexion.
1978 D. Marechera House of Hunger 130 They then made little incisions on my face and on my chest and rubbed a black powder into them.
2008 Independent (Nexis) 22 May (Extra section) 10 Tips included reproofing raincoats by rubbing beeswax over the inside, then ironing.
5. To affect painfully or disagreeably.
a. transitive. figurative and in figurative contexts. To irritate (a sore spot); to annoy. Also intransitive with against (also on, upon): to cause annoyance or irritation. Cf. to rub salt in one's wounds at salt n.1 2i.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > be annoyed or vexed by [verb (transitive)] > annoy or vex
gremec893
dretchc900
awhenec1000
teenOE
fretc1290
annoyc1300
atrayc1320
encumberc1330
diseasec1340
grindc1350
distemperc1386
offenda1387
arra1400
avexa1400
derea1400
miscomforta1400
angerc1400
engrievec1400
vex1418
molesta1425
entrouble?1435
destroublea1450
poina1450
rubc1450
to wring (a person) on the mailsc1450
disprofit1483
agrea1492
trouble1515
grig1553
mis-set?1553
nip?1553
grate1555
gripe1559
spitec1563
fike?1572
gall1573
corsie1574
corrosive1581
touch1581
disaccommodate1586
macerate1588
perplex1590
thorn1592
exulcerate1593
plague1595
incommode1598
affret1600
brier1601
to gall or tread on (one's) kibes1603
discommodate1606
incommodate1611
to grate on or upon1631
disincommodate1635
shog1636
ulcerate1647
incommodiate1650
to put (a person) out of his (her, etc.) way1653
discommodiate1654
discommode1657
ruffle1659
regrate1661
disoblige1668
torment1718
pesta1729
chagrin1734
pingle1740
bothera1745
potter1747
wherrit1762
to tweak the nose of1784
to play up1803
tout1808
rasp1810
outrage1818
worrit1818
werrit1825
buggerlug1850
taigle1865
get1867
to give a person the pip1881
to get across ——1888
nark1888
eat1893
to twist the tail1895
dudgeon1906
to tweak the tail of1909
sore1929
to put up1930
wouldn't it rip you!1941
sheg1943
to dick around1944
cheese1946
to pee off1946
to honk off1970
to fuck off1973
to tweak (a person's or thing's) tail1977
to tweak (a person's or thing's) nose1983
to wind up1984
to dick about1996
to-teen-
c1450 (c1405) Mum & Sothsegger (BL Add. 41666) (1936) l. 770 (MED) Þou has rubbid on þe rote of þe rede galle.
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell 97 Yet wrote he none ill Sauynge he rubbid sum vpon the gall.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Apol. Poetrie (1595) sig. F3 Is it the bitter, but wholsome Iambick, which rubs the galled minde?
a1616 W. Shakespeare Othello (1622) v. i. 11 I haue rubd this young gnat almost to the sense, And he growes angry. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) ii. i. 143 You rub the sore, When you should bring the plaister. View more context for this quotation
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection v. iv. 267* in Justice Vindicated I have rubbed some sores which are not convenient to be touched at this time.
1687 J. Dryden Hind & Panther iii. 81 This last allusion gall'd the Panther more, Because indeed it rubb'd upon the sore.
1701 Taunton-Dean Let. 5 For fear of Recriminations, and least I should rub old Sores, I shall not meddle with private Persons.
1853 C. M. Yonge Heir of Redclyffe I. v. 71 Whatever he said was intended to rub on some sore place in Guy's mind.
1885 A. A. Whitman Twasinta's Seminoles i. xxv. 22 The white man was his common enemy—He rubbed the burning wounds of injury, And plotted in his dreadful silent gloom.
1887 O. W. Holmes 100 Days Europe v. 191 It always rubbed very hard on my feelings.
1906 J. Galsworthy Man of Prop. xvi. 213 He did not wish to rub his nieces, he had no quarrel with them.
1972 G. Heyer Lady of Quality 8 It isn't only because Geoffrey and I rub against one another that I am going to set up a home for myself.
1979 M. Kunene Emperor Shaka Great ii. 31 Those who sung of his parent Rubbed the raw wound and kept the night from sleeping.
2008 Denver Post (Nexis) 26 Aug. p21 GOP operatives have noticed, of course, and are happy to rub the sore spot.
†b. intransitive. figurative. To impinge closely upon (also on) a thing or person; to affect or influence, esp. disadvantageously. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > do harm [verb (intransitive)] > affect disadvantageously
ruba1586
tell1816
the world > relative properties > relationship > relate or connect [verb (intransitive)] > form relations
ruba1586
connect1753
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) i. sig. H5 He, who before he was espied, was afraid; after, being perceiued, was ashamed, now being hardly rubd vpon, lefte both feare and shame, and was moued to anger.
1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 165 No more nor the miscariages of a man byassed can rub justlie upon an honest man walking straightlie.
1656 Ld. Wariston Diary (1940) III. 53 My wryting this much stak with me least it rubb upon my absteaning from wryting fully on Foursday.
a1699 J. Fraser Lawfulness Separation from Corrupt Ministers (1744) 3 Seeing their guilt was not only personal, but rubbed very much on their office.
c. intransitive. To chafe; to make rough by abrasion; esp. (of a shoe or other hard item in contact with the skin) to cause pain through friction. Also with against or on. Also in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > injury > injure [verb (transitive)] > chafe or excoriate
flayc1250
to-shell1377
gallc1440
excoriate1497
chafe1526
to pare to (also beyond, etc.) the quick1538
spur-galla1555
gald1555
raw1593
begall1597
rub1618
rind1893
1618 W. Lawson New Orchard & Garden viii. 23 If boughs or armes touch and rub,..they make great galls.
1704 J. Harris Lexicon Technicum I. at Chafe Seamen say, a Rope chafes, when it galls or frets, by rubbing against any rough and hard thing.
1830 R. Knox tr. P. A. Béclard Elements Gen. Anat. 239 The fibro-cartilages which are met with wherever a tendon rubs against a bone.
1862 Merry's Museum 44 187/2 Here..one is always in a ‘broil’ with somebody—this is where the ‘shoe rubs’.
1873 M. W. Kirwan Compagnie Irlandaise x. 158 Sores were caused in consequence of the edges of the cut portion of the shoe rubbing against the foot.
1916 H. W. Wiley Health Reader xi. 103 If a person wears a shoe that rubs on the skin over a joint, or if the skin on other parts of the body is rubbed continually, the cuticle becomes hardened.
1921 K. L. Roberts Europe's Morning After iii. 121 The ball of the shoe rubs irritatingly on Hungary, and the top of the toe is applied snugly to Rumania.
1961 J. Frame Faces in Water vii. 56 Red marks around their heels where the stiff duty shoes were rubbing.
1983 W. Kennedy Ironweed (1988) i. 9 Francis and Rudy kept walking north on Broadway, Francis's right shoe flapping, its counter rubbing wickedly against his heel.
2009 Bristol Evening Post (Nexis) 20 Aug. 3 He noticed a small red patch forming at the top of his foot, but..he presumed it was his shoe rubbing.
d. transitive. To chafe, abrade, make rough or ragged.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > cause bad condition in [verb (transitive)] > cause to waste away > wear away or down > (as) by rubbing
grate1555
fray1710
fridge1761
rub1791
file1837
scuff1909
1791 tr. A. G. Richter Treat. Extraction Cataract iv. 73 We cannot..introduce a broad-pointed cystitome without some danger of rubbing, bruising, or wounding the iris.
1808 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 19 454 Where the vesicle from neglect has been much rubbed, or otherwise injured.
1880 J. Dunbar Pract. Papermaker 29 The continual vibration of the cover rubs the stuff.
1922 E. G. Taylor Day after Dark vi. 69 A heavy shoe was rubbing her heel.
1996 L. O'Keefe Shoes 18 Next the appropriate height of the shoe's quarter is established: too high and it will rub the tendons; too low and the shoe will fail to grip the foot properly.
2006 F. Wilczek Fantastic Realities 456 She was very trimly dressed but with little white ‘ouch’ pads peeking over her high heeled shoes where they rubbed the back of her ankles.
6. transitive. To press (ears of a cereal crop) with friction between the hands, in order to extract the grain; (also occasionally) to grind or mill (grain). Cf. to rub out 3 at Phrasal verbs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > [verb (transitive)] > clean grain > by rubbing
briteOE
rub?a1513
to rub out1719
a1513 W. Dunbar Flyting in Poems (1998) I. 204 Fane at evin for to bring hame a single, Syne rubbit at ane vther auld wyvis ingle.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Luke vi. f. lxxxij His disciples plucked the eares of corne, and ate them, and rubbed them in their hondes.
1605 in A. O. Ewing View Merchants House Glasgow (1866) 78 Discharges all rubbers to rub or measure the meal but the owner himself only.
1682 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Glasgow (1905) III. 317 These who rubbs the meill at the measouring therof.
?1790 M. Towgood in J. Manning Sketch Life & Writings M. Towgood (1792) App. 174 It was equally unlawful for any but the priests, to eat the Shew-Bread; and to gather and rub corn on the sabbath day.
1875 E. N. Horsford Rep. Vienna Bread in Rep. U.S. Commissioners to Vienna Exhib., 1873 (1876) ii. 33 If one rubs grains of wheat gently between millstones,..by the first operation, which we will call clipping, or pointing,..more or less of the germ, will be removed.
1881 Q. Statem. Palestine Explor. Fund Jan. 179 To press tight and squeeze, as when the hands rub corn.
1913 E. Philpotts Haven xiv. 323 Varwell rubbed corn in his hands and blew away the husks. He collected fifty grains and put them into his mouth.
1946 N. R. Campbell in Lovingly Yours, Nellie (2004) 364 Add clear water and rub corn with hands loosening hulls which will float to the surface.
2003 W. Henry Cloak of Illuminati 16 Jesus and the disciples secretly rubbed corn in their hands.
†7. intransitive. slang. To run or make off; to go forth. Also without following adverb. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going away > go away [verb (intransitive)] > go away suddenly or hastily
fleec825
runOE
swervea1225
biwevec1275
skip1338
streekc1380
warpa1400
yerna1400
smoltc1400
stepc1460
to flee (one's) touch?1515
skirr1548
rubc1550
to make awaya1566
lope1575
scuddle1577
scoura1592
to take the start1600
to walk off1604
to break awaya1616
to make off1652
to fly off1667
scuttle1681
whew1684
scamper1687
whistle off1689
brush1699
to buy a brush1699
to take (its, etc.) wing1704
decamp1751
to take (a) French leave1751
morris1765
to rush off1794
to hop the twig1797
to run along1803
scoot1805
to take off1815
speela1818
to cut (also make, take) one's lucky1821
to make (take) tracks (for)1824
absquatulize1829
mosey1829
absquatulate1830
put1834
streak1834
vamoose1834
to put out1835
cut1836
stump it1841
scratch1843
scarper1846
to vamoose the ranch1847
hook1851
shoo1851
slide1859
to cut and run1861
get1861
skedaddle1862
bolt1864
cheese it1866
to do a bunkc1870
to wake snakes1872
bunk1877
nit1882
to pull one's freight1884
fooster1892
to get the (also to) hell out (of)1892
smoke1893
mooch1899
to fly the coop1901
skyhoot1901
shemozzle1902
to light a shuck1905
to beat it1906
pooter1907
to take a run-out powder1909
blow1912
to buzz off1914
to hop it1914
skate1915
beetle1919
scram1928
amscray1931
boogie1940
skidoo1949
bug1950
do a flit1952
to do a scarper1958
to hit, split or take the breeze1959
to do a runner1980
to be (also get, go) ghost1986
c1550 C. Bansley Treat. Pryde & Abuse of Women sig. A.iiv Rubbe forthe olde Trottes to the deuyl warde.
1665 R. Head Eng. Rogue I. ix. sig. F2 The Maid had staid as long as possibly she might without discovery, Lacing her self very streight, and keeping down her belly with three Busks: but now she made haste to rub off.
1676 T. Shadwell Virtuoso v. 88 Who held my Sword while I danced?.. A curse on him! he's rubb'd off with—.
1700 T. Brown Amusem. Serious & Comical x. 126 He made a Dive into my Pocket, but encountering a Disappointment, Rub'd off, Cursing the Vaccuum.
1710 Brit. Apollo 23–25 Oct. Your..Club With ready Cash to Tavern rub.
1844 W. H. Maxwell Wanderings in Highlands & Islands II. vi. 73 The curate..left Æneas, and rubbed off in haste.
†8.
a. intransitive. Bowls. Of a bowl: to encounter some impediment which retards or diverts its course on the green. Frequently in imperative, addressed to a bowl which one wants to move slowly. Also figurative. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > bowls or bowling > play at bowls [verb (intransitive)] > encounter obstruction
rub1588
set1875
1588 ‘M. Marprelate’ Oh read ouer D. Iohn Bridges: Epist. 43 When Iohn of London throwes his bowle, he will runne after it, and crie rub, rub, rub.
1609 Euerie Woman in her Humor sig. D1v They rub at euerie mole-hil.
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. ii. 48 So so, rub on and kisse the mistresse. View more context for this quotation
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Saulter,..to rub (at Bowles).
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Rub-rub, us'd on Greens when the Bowl Flees too fast, to have it forbear, if Words wou'd do it.
1744 ‘J. Love’ Cricket i. 5 Where, much divided between Fear and Glee, The Youth cries Rub; O Flee, you Ling'rer, Flee!
1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Man. Brit. Rural Sports (ed. 12) 684 Every bowl which shall rub or set after it has run two yards past the parallel [etc.].
b. transitive. To impede, hinder. Cf. rub n.1 3. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > hinder [verb (transitive)]
letc888
shrenchc897
forstanda1000
amarOE
disturbc1290
impeachc1380
stopc1380
withstandc1385
hinder1413
accloy1422
hindc1426
to hold abackc1440
appeachc1460
impeditec1535
inhibit1535
obstacle1538
damp1548
trip1548
embarrass1578
dam1582
to clip the wings ofa1593
unhelp1598
uppen1600
straiten1607
rub1608
impediment1610
impedea1616
to put out1616
to put off1631
scote1642
obstruct1645
incommodiate1650
offend1651
sufflaminate1656
hindrance1664
disassist1671
clog1679
muzzle1706
squeeze1804
to take the wind out of the sails of1822
throttle1825
block1844
overslaugh1853
snag1863
gum1901
slow-walk1965
1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear vii. 148 Tis the Dukes pleasure, Whose disposition all the world well knowes Will not be rubd nor stopt. View more context for this quotation
9. transitive. To reduce to powder by rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > granular texture > form into grains or granules [verb (transitive)] > make into powder or dust
powdera1400
pulverize?a1425
pulverc1425
dustc1440
pulverizate1598
rub1607
pulverate1615
triturate1755
triture1773
powderize1903
1607 N. Geffe tr. O. de Serres Perfect Vse Silke-wormes 76 The leaues being well dried, are easily betweene the handes rubbed to powder, and that blowne away with the wind.
1658 A. Jackson Annot. Job iv. 25 in Annot. Old Test. Doctrinall Bks. God laies his hand upon them, more suddenly and easily, then a moth is crushed and rubbed to dust between a mans fingers.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver I. i. viii. 146 Some of his best Bisket, which rubbed to Powder,..was their constant Food.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Copper This may be rubbed to powder.
1811 A. T. Thomson London Dispensatory iii. 677 Rub them together to a powder.
1868 J. D. Dana Syst. Mineral. (ed. 5) 745 Guyaquillite..Yields easily to the knife, and may be rubbed to powder.
1902 Public Opinion 15 May 628/1 For friction tests, masurite was rubbed to dust between sandpaper and emery cloth.
1995 J. Hemphill & R. Hemphill What Herb is That? 1997 58 Use..dried melokhia, rubbed to a powder and soaked with a little hot water before adding to the soup.
10. intransitive. To become or admit of being rubbed (away, off, out, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (intransitive)] > be rubbed
rub1612
1612 W. Leigh Queene Elizabeth ii. f. 72 The blessed Sacraments, seales of our assurance wil rubbe off, if vnreuerently we rubbe vpon him.
1681 N. Grew Musæum Regalis Societatis iii. §ii. 332 An Iron Body, that rubs away in glossy Dust, with part of its Wall, (a brown Spar) in which it lay inclos'd.
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. Dict. 389 When the Shank of a Letter has a proper Thickness, Founders say, It Rubs well.
1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 33/2 It is very soft, and will easily rub to pieces.
1765 Compl. Maltster & Brewer 51 Every maltster knows, that when the chive will rub off in his hand, it has been dried enough.
1789 Trans. Soc. Arts (ed. 2) 1 255 Much of the moss also rubs off in ginning, and mixes with the cotton.
1859 M. I. O. Gascoigne Handbk. Turning (new ed.) 120 They [sc. marks] will easily rub out.
1871 J. R. Lowell My Study Windows 69 When the plating of Anglicism rubs off..we are liable to very unpleasing conjectures about the quality of the metal underneath.
1877 C. H. Spurgeon Serm. XXIII. 492 Dirt will rub off when it is dry.
1900 B. Pain Eliza 22 The cards looked..very clean (except in the case of a few where the ink had rubbed).
1958 Man 58 59/2 The shortcoming of pottery as a material for wax-reproduction-moulding was its friability, chipping at the projecting arrises and rubbing away in use at the keying devices.
2007 Guardian 15 May (G2 section) 19/1 Sunscreens rub off and are absorbed—..assume that it will wear off in two hours maximum.
11. transitive. To reproduce the design of (a sepulchral brass or stone, etc.) by laying paper over it and rubbing it with coloured wax, pencil, or chalk, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > printmaking > brass-rubbing > rub [verb (transitive)]
rub1848
1848 Man. Study Monumental Brasses p. cix The shields and dresses may be coloured, by being first lightly rubbed with lead pencil, and afterwards painted.
1861 Sat. Rev. 22 June 647/1 These brasses are capable of being ‘rubbed’, that is, of having an impression taken of them..by covering them with paper, and rubbing with some fitting substance upon the paper. A likeness of the brass is thus produced, the plain portions being dark, and the incisions remaining..white.
1879 J. O. Westwood Lapidarium Walliæ 157 She placed the stone in the south porch of the church, where I carefully examined, drew, and rubbed it.
1902 Builder 22 Feb. 183/3 The visiting of churches for the sake of rubbing brasses naturally led..to the visiting of churches for themselves.
1965 Listener 20 May 743/3 I have always been interested in brasses, and meant to ‘rub’ some.
2004 Evening Gaz. (Middlesbrough) (Nexis) 14 Feb. 17 We were just happy to have smelled the smell, tried on the helmet, rubbed the brass and learned more about our family's ancestors!

Phrases

P1. Proverb. one hand rubs the other and variants: help is reciprocated. Cf. one hand washeth another at wash v. 3d.
ΚΠ
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. i. sig. A8v My selfe will for you fight, As ye haue done for me: the left hand rubs the right. View more context for this quotation
1652 J. Wright tr. J.-P. Camus Nature's Paradox ix. 196 In the Country, one hand rubb's the other as in Citties.
1852 Harper's Mag. Nov. 819/1 One hand rubs the other, and one leg helps on the other, and relations get on best in the world when they pull together.
2002 J. Oppenheimer Seinfeld: Making of Amer. Icon 44 The senior Seinfeld knew how politics worked—that one hand rubs the other.
P2. to rub one's hands: to move one's hands to and fro against each other, esp. to signify keen satisfaction or to generate warmth. Frequently figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > contentment or satisfaction > be contented or satisfied [verb (intransitive)] > express contentment or satisfaction
to rub one's hands1576
purr1658
1576 R. Peterson tr. G. della Casa Galateo 120 It is an ill sight, to lill out ye tounge, to stroke your bearde much vp and downe..to rubbe your hands together.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) v. i. 25 What is it she do's now? Looke how she rubbes her hands . View more context for this quotation
1699 tr. J. de La Bruyère Characters 342 You'd think him planted there, that he had taken root in the midst of his Tulips, and at his Solitaire; he rubs his hands, he stares, stoops down, and looks.
1778 F. Burney Evelina III. xxi. 250 [He] rubbed his hands, and was scarce able to contain the fullness of his glee.
1831 W. Scott Count Robert vi, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. I. 189 He sighed and rubbed his hands with pleasure, like a man newly restored to liberty.
1863 J. G. Holland Lett. to Joneses xiii. 197 The unwhipped coward rubs his hands over his clever boorishness and brutality.
1893 J. K. Snowden Tales Yorks. Wolds 158 Willie was rubbing his hands slowly before the roaring fire. ‘I'm fearful starved’, he said.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xii. [Cyclops] 316 The Times rubbed its hands and told the whitelivered Saxons there would soon be as few Irish in Ireland as redskins in America.
1966 Listener 30 June 936/1 The British Government has invested half a million pounds on this display of international sport and the London hotel-keepers are rubbing their hands.
1989 R. M. Wilson Ripley Bogle 117 I rub my hands to produce a little warmth. Bloody June!
2003 Attitude Jan. 8/1 Our probing correspondent Simon Gage rubbed his hands with glee when..Cristian Solimeno declared his lack of interest in his own TV show.
†P3. let the world rub: ‘let the world get along as best it may’ (cf. to rub along at Phrasal verbs); ‘ignore the concerns or comments of others’. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > perseverance or persistence > persevere or persist [verb (intransitive)]
continuec1340
perseverec1380
stick1447
to rub on1469
to stick unto ——1529
persist1531
to make it tougha1549
whilea1617
subsist1632
to rub along1668
let the world rub1677
dog1692
wade1714
to stem one's course1826
to stick in1853
to hang on1860
to worry along1871
to stay the course1885
slug1943
to slug it out1943
to bash on1950
to soldier on1954
to keep on trucking1972
1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle i. i. 2 Let the world rub, Harry—I say thou shalt have her.
1706 R. Estcourt Fair Example v. i Merrily is the word, and let the World rub.
1751 L. Chambaud Idioms French & Eng. Langs. 199/2 Let the world rub, let's be merry.
P4. to rub shoulders: to come into contact, to associate (with others).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > be near to [verb (transitive)] > be in contact with > rub shoulders with
shoulder1690
to rub shouldersa1732
to rub elbows1750
a1732 T. Boston Illustr. Doctr. Christian Relig. (1792) II. 129 They are all members of Christ, of the blood royal of heaven, even those of them that some would disdain to rub shoulders with.
1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 39/2 Against how many hundreds a-day does not such a thing rub shoulders.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Bk. Snobs xxv She had rubbed shoulders with the great.
1928 Observer 15 July 11/3 You may see preacher and ploughman, collier and clerk, all rubbing shoulders and all under the influence of the intangible and untranslatable ‘hwyl’ of the Eisteddfod.
1976 E. Maclaren Nature of Belief iii. 20 I'm rubbing shoulders with questions of religious philosophy all the time.
1991 J. Caldwell Oxf. Hist. Eng. Music I. x. 569 As in the earlier decades of the century, sacred songs rub shoulders in the manuscript and printed collections of the day.
2005 Olive Mar. 126/1 Begin your day at one of the caffè bars along Corso Magenta, where you'll rub shoulders with the impeccably dressed bankers.
P5. to rub elbows = to rub shoulders at Phrases 4. Chiefly U.S. in later use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > be near to [verb (transitive)] > be in contact with > rub shoulders with
shoulder1690
to rub shouldersa1732
to rub elbows1750
1750 Midwife Pref. p. iv Mr. Puff..has wrote a Panegyric on the Occasion; but then he and I have agreed to rub Elbows.
1851 T. Carlyle Life J. Sterling i. viii. 74 One right peal of concrete laughter at some convicted flesh-and-blood absurdity, one burst of noble indignation at some injustice or depravity, rubbing elbows with us on this solid Earth.
1916 L. N. Parker Disraeli ii. 56 You would pass him in the street without the faintest idea you had rubbed elbows with one of the world's greatest powers!
1956 ‘B. Holiday’ & W. Dufty Lady sings Blues i. 16 A whorehouse was about the only place where black and white folks could meet in any natural way. They damn well couldn't rub elbows in the churches.
2007 Time Out N.Y. 1 Mar. 123/3 They've toured that world and rubbed elbows with profound-statement-makers like David Bowie and U2.
P6. to rub noses: to touch noses in greeting (with another person). Also figurative.The custom is traditionally practised among Maoris and certain other peoples.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > courteous act or expression > use formal courtesy in act or expression [verb (intransitive)] > greet > use other specific gestures
move1594
nod1600
bow1651
salaam1698
to rub noses1819
hongi1853
heil1939
namaste1969
wai1972
1819 S. Marsden Lett. & Jrnls. (1932) 187 When the public confusion was a little over, Moodee Why and the hoary warrior rubbed noses as a token of reconciliation.
1822 G. F. Lyon Jrnl. 28 July (1824) vi. 247 When the principal [Eskimo dancer] had pretty well exhausted himself, he walked gravely up to him, and taking his head between his hands, rubbed noses with him amidst the plaudits of all present.
1858 R. M. Ballantyne Coral Island xx. 242 Tararo went up to Jack and rubbed noses with him... Seeing that this was their mode of salutation..we rubbed noses heartily with the whole party.
1891 Guardian 25 Feb. 312/2 Bringing the most different people to ‘rub noses’ with one another.
1945 D. Leechman Eskimo Summer 240 Before they had much contact with white men, the Eskimos used to rub noses on meeting old friends after a protracted absence.
1981 Times 21 July 8/2 The South African rugby team..rubbed noses at a Maori reception in their honour.
2007 Park Home & Holiday Caravan Jan. 98/2 Newspaper reports say that several celebrities are buying up properties in the region, so you could be rubbing noses with the rich and famous.
P7. humorous. not to have two pennies to rub together and variants: to be very poor.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > poverty > be poor [verb (intransitive)] > lack money
not to have a penny to bless oneself with1546
not to have two pennies to rub together1827
1827 H. R. Mosse Woman's Wit & Man's Wisdom I. v. 171 Some of them would not be worth any two of his gracious majesty's coins to rub together if their debts were paid.
1838 J. L. Stephens Incidents Trav. Greece, Turkey, Russia II. iv. 69 Young men who have not two rubles to rub together will bet thousands.
1929 M. de la Roche Whiteoaks vii. 98 George, like Finch, was always hard up. Sometimes they had not between them two coins to rub together.
1977 K. O'Hara Ghost of Thomas Penry xvii. 172 I've known Mrs Bathhurst without two pennies to rub together, and always..concerned about others.
2008 Observer 26 Oct. 33/1 Peter Mandelson has more than two euros to rub together.
P8. to rub the wrong way [with reference to stroking a cat against the lie of its fur] : to annoy, irritate (a person). Cf. sense 5a and to rub (a person, etc.) up the wrong way at Phrasal verbs.
ΚΠ
1834 T. Hood Tylney Hall II. i. 26 Nobody wanted to rub you the wrong way, and yet you begin swearing and spitting.
1883 J. Hawthorne Dust xxviii Philip..was always rubbed the wrong way by Lady Flanders.
1961 Insurance Salesman Jan. 47/1 One of our clerks was a snippy, opinionated girl who kept everything unsettled and rubbed everyone the wrong way.
2007 N.Y. Mag. 2 Apr. 42/2 I got off to a bad start with the teacher. Maybe my helicopter parenting style rubbed her the wrong way.
P9. to rub minds (together): (of two or more people) to consider a matter jointly; to consult and work together; to confer. Similarly to rub our (also their, etc.) minds together. Now chiefly Nigerian English.Cf. to put their heads together at head n.1 Phrases 2e(a).
ΚΠ
1846 Farmer's Mag. Dec. 483/1 By thus comparing notes and ‘rubbing minds together’ the spark of true knowledge may be elicited.
1910 H. E. Cushman Beginner's Hist. Philos. I. 90 Let us rub our minds together. Let us sift our varied concepts.
1986 Afr. Guardian 11 Dec. 10/3 Some of these opinion leaders..had to be bribed..before they could get their people to rub minds on which party to vote for.
2018 Sun (Nigeria) (Nexis) 11 June The initiative was meant for stakeholders to rub minds together through peaceful out letting of grievances and collective approach to solving problems.
P10. to rub one's nose in it: see nose n. Phrases 2g.

Phrasal verbs

With adverbs in specialized senses. to rub along
intransitive. figurative. To continue in a certain course, esp. without undue difficulty or restraint; to contrive, make shift, manage, get by. Also: to have a satisfactorily friendly relationship; to get along together, or with another person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > perseverance or persistence > persevere or persist [verb (intransitive)]
continuec1340
perseverec1380
stick1447
to rub on1469
to stick unto ——1529
persist1531
to make it tougha1549
whilea1617
subsist1632
to rub along1668
let the world rub1677
dog1692
wade1714
to stem one's course1826
to stick in1853
to hang on1860
to worry along1871
to stay the course1885
slug1943
to slug it out1943
to bash on1950
to soldier on1954
to keep on trucking1972
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. ii. i. 43 Going, Depart, recede,..get gone, set forth, rub along.
1689 J. Flavell Englands Duty App. 29 They make an hard shift to rub along under these regrets of Conscience.
1765 J. Parker Let. 22 Mar. in B. Franklin Papers (1968) XII. 88 He may make shift to rub along, but I believe will never do any great Matter.
1818 W. Irving Life & Lett. (1864) I. 396 I feel confident that I shall be able to rub along with my present means of support.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour (1865) II. 555 It's got very bad now. I used to manage to rub along at first.
1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. II. xliv. 150 The reason..why the system..rubs along in the several States is, that the executive has little to do.
1936 P. G. Wodehouse Laughing Gas viii. 81 The small fry have to rub along with Japanese and Filipinos.
1958 Daily Sketch 2 June 12/4 The firm rubbed along—but it never looked like going places.
1961 A. White Diary 31 Dec. (1993) i. 59 I think we shall rub along well. This is definitely sharing a flat, not ‘having a lodger’ for he is in and about all the time.
2004 Good Housek. (U.K. ed.) Oct. 108/1 At first David and I were terrified that we'd feel trapped and that the contented rubbing along together we'd lived with for so long would somehow change for the worse.
 to rub away
transitive. To remove by rubbing; also figurative and in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > removal or displacement > remove or displace [verb (transitive)] > remove or take away > by rubbing
to rub awaya1425
rub?a1500
a1425 (?a1400) Cloud of Unknowing (Harl. 674) (1944) 123 (MED) Þe..dedes of sinne þat euer he did..wil apere before his iȝen vnto þe tyme..þat..he haue..rubbid hem awey.
a1450 Rule St. Benet (Vesp.) (1902) 2275 Þat whils scho rubes a-wey þe rust Þe vessel fal not alto dust.
a1586 G. Douglas Conscience 14 in W. A. Craigie Maitland Folio MS (1919) I [They] thocht at sciens was our lang ane laip; The sci away fast can thay rub and scraip.
1630 J. Makluire Buckler of Bodilie Health 30 After your exercise haue a care to cause rubbe away the sweate in a warme chamber with dry warme linnings.
1767 A. Yonge Husbandman's Compan. 30 Thrust your hand into the beast's mouth, and if there be any blister risen, or the palate fallen, rub the one away, and put up the other.
1893 J. Ashby-Sterry Naughty Girl vi [She] tried to rub her tears away with the back of her hand.
1939 T. L. Green Pract. Animal Biol. i. 84 The outside horny periostracum which is very thin and can easily be rubbed away.
2006 C. Frazier Thirteen Moons v. i. 416 Dark oiled leather, worn walnut, steel with the bluing rubbed away from much handling.
 to rub down
1. transitive. To clean (an animal, esp. a horse) from dust and sweat by rubbing. Also in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > keeping or management of horses > [verb (transitive)] > groom horse
curryc1290
scrub13..
shruba1400
kembc1400
dress1510
to rub down1593
wispa1598
curry-comb1708
groom1809
strap1854
1593 G. Markham Disc. Horsmanshippe iii. sig. G.3 With a harde wispe, rub downe his necke, face, buttocks and legges, then sift him two or three handfuls of Oates more.
1620 G. Markham Farwell to Husbandry 145 The Plowman..shall..rubbe downe the cattell, and cleanse their skinnes from all filth.
1651 C. Walker High Court of Justice 10 To make Religion but a stalking horse..and the Ministers thereof but hostlers, to rub down, curry and dresse it for their riding.
1693 G. Stepney tr. Juvenal Sat. viii. 271 When his Fellow-Beasts are weary grown, He'll play the Groom, give Oats, and rub 'em down.
1745 tr. L. J. M. Columella Of Husbandry ii. iii. 56 As soon as the Ploughman has unyoked the oxen from their work, let him rub them down while they are girt.
1779 Mirror No. 62 I just ordered my horse to be rubbed down.
1844 H. Stephens Bk. of Farm II. 180 After the horses are rubbed down, the men proceed to the straw-barn.
1913 Living Age 29 Mar. 788/2 Zachary drew up, unharnessed his faithful beast, rubbed it down, fed it, and picketed it for the night.
2002 J. McGahern That they may face Rising Sun (2003) 29 By the time the crowd arrived he had untackled the pony and given her water and was rubbing her down.
2. transitive. To make smooth, to reduce, grind down, etc., by rubbing. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > manufacturing processes > perform general or industrial manufacturing processes [verb (transitive)] > grind (down)
rough-grind1664
to rub down1794
roughen1839
sand1858
profile-grind1941
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > scrape or rub smooth
polisha1382
ruba1382
scrapec1430
abrase?a1475
to rub down1794
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique i. xv. 93 Pearches and ladders made cleane and rubd downe.
1658 G. Atwell Faithfull Surveyour xxxi. 96 With your pike-staff, fork, or spit, rub down all the coal, then throw on water, and then ashes, and all is done.
1748 B. Langley London Prices 130 The Workman must gauge and rub down the Red-Stock Bricks; so, that every 5 Course of them shall come level with every 4 Course of Place-Bricks.
1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 88 Rubber, a small iron instrument..to rub down or flatten the seams.
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam lxxxvii. 131 Ground in yonder social mill We rub each other's angles down. View more context for this quotation
1852 J. W. Carlyle Lett. II. 175 He has rubbed it all down with pumice-stone.
1887 D. A. Low Introd. Machine Drawing (1892) 3 The colour should be rubbed down in a dish.
1903 P. N. Hasluck House Decoration viii. 117 When dry, the work is rubbed down..and all nail-holes are stopped with putty.
1999 Your Garden Oct. 20/3 Rub down smooth surfaces with sandpaper to give them a key.
3. transitive. To clean or dry (a person) by rubbing; (also) to massage (a person).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > other cleaning methods, devices, or substances > clean by other miscellaneous methods [verb (transitive)]
rakec1400
pickle1605
to rub down1682
thumb1768
steam-clean1835
bread1869
French-chalk1870
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > physiotherapy > practise physiotherapy [verb (transitive)] > massage
to rub down1682
shampoo1762
mass1788
mull1828
massage1887
massé1887
1682 A. Behn Roundheads iii. ii. 30 Ye Locusts of the Land, preach Nonsence, Blasphemy, and Treason, till you sweat again, that the Sanctifi'd Sisters my rub you down, to comfort and console the Creature.
1797 A. Lumisden Remarks Antiq. Rome 177 If bathers employed any of these public servants, to rub them down in the bath..they rewarded them for it.
1860 ‘C. Martel’ Detective's Note-bk. 84 We stripped him, rubbed him down with warm towels, gave him a dose out of my brandy-flask, and it was not long before he was asleep.
1914 D. H. Lawrence Prussian Officer & Other Stories 2 His orderly, having to rub him down, admired the amazing riding-muscles of his loins.
2009 C. Klosterman Eating Dinosaur 103 ‘We've become a race of Peeping Toms,’ Stewart's nurse remarks in Rear Window after rubbing him down with liniment.
4. transitive. colloquial. To search (a person) by passing one's hand all over the body; to frisk. Cf. to pat down at pat v.1 3c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > search for or seek [verb (transitive)] > search (a person)
ransacka1325
search1474
frisk1789
to rub down1825
grope1837
to run the rule over1865
fan1927
to pat down1943
screen1951
1825 Examiner 10 Apr. 235/2 She..desired to have her pockets rubbed down; nothing was felt there, and she was on the point of passing, when the turnkey observed [etc.].
1887 B. Potter in 19th Cent. Oct. 487 The custom of ‘rubbing down’ each labourer as he passes the dock gates.
1903 Ld. W. B. Nevill Penal Servitude v. 42 A man who had been in prison over a year, and who must therefore have been ‘rubbed down’ at least a thousand times.
1994 N. Parker Parkhurst Tales xviii. 238 My box was searched, I was rubbed down, then I was handcuffed to a screw.
 to rub in
1. transitive. To apply (an ointment, etc.) by means of continued rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatment by topical applications > treat by topical applications [verb (transitive)] > salve or anoint > rub in (ointment, etc.)
to rub in1526
1526 Grete Herball cxlv. sig. Iivv/1 Take iuce of plantayne that ye stone emachitas is also rubbed in with the sayde thynges.
1561 J. Hollybush tr. H. Brunschwig Most Excellent Homish Apothecarye f. 43 He that hath a colde ague..be well anoynted..wyth oyle of Bayes, and oyle of Iuniper of eche lyke muche agaynste a good fyre, that it be well rubbed in.
1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husb. i. 30 For the Farcie..with a knife slit all the knots..and then rubbe in the medicine.
1786 J. Hunter Treat. Venereal Dis. vi. i. 311 He rubbed in..mercurial ointment, and had a slight spitting.
1865 J. W. Carlyle Lett. III. 259 Geraldine rubbed it [sc. the liniment] in for an hour.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 859 Chrysarobin is rubbed in for ten minutes.
1913 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 22 Feb. 36/1 (advt.) You had to help soften the beard by rubbing in the lather.
1976 A. Brink Instant in Wind (1979) 58 The day the snake bit me and the old woman sucked out the poison, rubbing in herbs, reviving me.
2006 Cosmopolitan (U.K. ed.) Aug. 190/3 Apply almond oil to clean toenails and rub in using a three-way buffer.
2. transitive. Chiefly Art. To apply (a dry or semi-solid colour) by rubbing; to draw or paint (a picture, a subject) in this way.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > painting > art of colouring > colour [verb (transitive)] > lay on a colour > rub in colour
to rub in1658
1658 W. Sanderson Graphice 79 They were rubbed-in with small Cotten-pensills.
1662 J. Evelyn Sculptura v. 107 Rubbing in the shades with Pastills and dry Compositions.
1787 Trans. Soc. Arts 5 216 Rubbed in with a brickbat or sandy stone.
1811 J. Parkins Young Man's Best Compan. 556 Rub in your crayons according to their proper colours.
1857 J. H. Steggall Real Hist. Suffolk Man (1859) x. 166 To rub in the dead colour, and your own figure more particularly.
1857 J. H. Steggall Real Hist. Suffolk Man (1859) x. 166 And rapidly indeed did the facetious fellow rub me in, and make a good likeness of me.
1882 Good Words 23 604 Here again, while I am out-tackling, Crayon rubs in a few outlines.
1906 F. G. Delamotte Amateur Artist v. 74 As the crayon tints are rubbed in with the finger, it will be necessary..to rub down with paper the rougher parts of the surface.
1990 Country Homes June 109 (caption) The walls have been left plastered and colour rubbed in.
2004 D. Silverman Van Gogh & Gauguin 322 Van Gogh rubbed in the title ‘La Berceuse’ in cursive script over the red paint on the lower right.
3. transitive. Cookery. To work (butter or other fat) into flour or other dry ingredients using the fingers.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being mixed or blended > mix or blend [verb (transitive)] > prepare by mixing
mingOE
meddlec1350
compoundc1384
temper1390
mix1482
comfit1483
confect1575
mingle1587
to make up1649
concoct1676
amalgamate1821
to rub in1844
1844 M. E. Rundell New Syst. Domest. Cookery (new ed.) xxi. 217 Mix the soda with the flour, then rub in the butter, after which add the sugar.
1905 E. Tuite Dishes for All Seasons 108 Dry and sift the flour with the baking powder into a basin, rub in the butter, make a hole in the centre, and pour in the milk and water.
1925 Woman's World (Chicago) Apr. 46/3 Sift the flour and salt, add the bran, rub in the shortening.
1959 Home Encycl. 39 Plain Cakes are those made with less than half-a-pound of fat to each pound of flour, and with few eggs. The fat is rubbed in or melted.
2007 BBC Good Food: Vegetarian Summer 12/2 Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, rub in the butter, add the sugar, then mix in the egg.
4. transitive. slang. To draw attention to or reiterate (something embarrassing or disagreeable), esp. in to rub it in. Cf. to rub a person's nose in it at nose n. Phrases 2g.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [verb (transitive)] > attach importance to > render outstanding
aggravate1549
accent1595
to lay weight upon1600
emphase1631
circumflect1643
to lay (also place, put) stress on (also upon)1653
to set home1656
forestall1657
circumflex1661
signalize1698
to lay stress, weight, emphasis on or upon1748
emphasize1793
accentuate1817
stress1845
to rub in1851
to draw out1855
underline1880
punctuate1883
peak1887
underscore1891
to point up1926
1851 J. B. Lamar et al. Polly Peablossom's Wedding & Other Tales 146 When it comes to rubbin' it in, I always in gen'rally kinder r'ars up an' won't stan' it.
1870 Western Mail 27 May 3/7 ‘Rubbing it in well’ is another well-known phrase amongst the doubtful portion of the constabulary.
1897 R. Kipling Captains Courageous ix Ye needn't rub it in any more.
1917 N. Munro Jimmy Swan Joy Traveller 183 Brief life is here our portion, as the hymn says, but we needna rub it in to Rachel's friends that even the Thorpes get old and disappear.
1941 Ld. Alanbrooke Diary 16 Sept. in War Diaries (2001) 183 I had rubbed in the fact that the new ‘manpower ceiling’ which he had imposed was resulting in..a reduction of a ¼ of the infantry force of this country.
2001 J. Diamond C: Because Cowards get Cancer Too (new ed.) viii. 147 I came round in what I still think of as Intensive Care but which hospitals, just to rub it in, now call the High Dependency Unit.
 to rub off
1. transitive. To remove by rubbing. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > erase by marking
strikec1386
to rub offa1425
cancelc1440
streakc1440
cross1483
outstrike1487
line1530
to strike out1530
dash1549
to strike off1597
cancellate1664
damask1673
score1687
to run through1817
overscore1834
blue-pencil1883
stroke1885
caviar1890
to stencil out1891
to strike through1898
ex1935
x1942
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by scraping
screpec725
scrape1303
to rub offa1425
raze1429
race?a1439
rash1650
derade1657
erade1657
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by rubbing
planec1350
to rub outc1400
to rub offa1425
sponge1548
wipe1564
spongea1636
sponge1720
smear1838
a1425 (a1396) R. Maidstone Paraphr. Seven Penitential Psalms (BL Add. 39574) 814 in M. Day Wheatley MS (1921) 53 (MED) Ihesu..rubbe of þe rust, Or I be brouȝt to..dust.
1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie xix. 47 Then they discouer themselues, going vnto the trees to fray their heads, and to rub of the veluet.
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. vi. 193 His Enemie..Hasts to some Tree..whearon To..rub-off his detested zone.
1618 W. Lawson New Orchard & Garden i. xi. 38 When he puts a bud in any place where you would not haue him, rub it off with your finger.
1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. iii. 4 His Rythmes, which we here set down, with all the rust thereof, without rubbing it off.
1711 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 23 Mar. (1948) I. 222 My sore shin itched, and I forgot what it was, and rubbed off the s—b, and blood came.
1779 Mirror No. 3 Without any danger of this colouring being rubbed off.
1810 G. Crabbe Borough x. 136 We to our Neighbours and our Equals come, And rub off Pride that Man contracts at home.
1875 B. Jowett in tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. Pref. p. xiii Modern languages have rubbed off this inferential and adversative form.
1947 Nucleonics Dec. 49/2 Vigorous rubbing with soft paper like Kleenex will rub it off, as evidenced by reduction in friction and darkening of the Kleenex which then shows activity.
1961 J. Carew Last Barbarian 56 Two years in America struggling to pay his way through university had rubbed off some of his pride.
1989 T. Parks Family Planning 60 She..walked to the window and rubbed off condensation with a towel.
†2. intransitive. figurative. Of an event or achievement: to pass off, be completed (sometimes with an indication of the degree of success). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > carrying out > execute, perform, or carry out [verb (intransitive)] > be carried out
to take placea1464
stand1488
to pass off1752
to rub off1784
to come off1826
1784 F. Burney Diary 17 Jan. (1842) II. 304 The evening rubbed on and rubbed off till it began to break up.
1818 W. Scott Let. 14 Jan. (1933) V. 50 The book is very well liked here and has rubd off in great stile.
3. intransitive. figurative. Of a quality, etc.: to have an effect (on a person) through close or continued contact; to be transmitted.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > infectious quality of emotion > infect with emotion [phrase]
to rub off1869
1869 H. B. Stowe Oldtown Folks xxxii. 419 Dear Aunty, I hope some of her virtues will rub off on to me by contact.
1892 H. James Lesson of Master 186 A certain feeling for letters must have rubbed off on him from the mere handling of his master's books, which he was always carrying to and fro.
1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself v. 463 He spent years hobnobbing with gentlemanly shits and half-ass operators and some of it had to rub off on him.
1971 Times 9 Sept. 3/2 One hopes that something of their Christian charity and principles would rub off.
1989 A. Stevenson Bitter Fame v. 116 Her anxiety rubbed off on Ted, though he did his best to reassure her.
2005 Elle Girl (U.K. ed.) Feb. 54/2 When someone's that positive, it can't help but rub off on you.
 to rub on
intransitive. figurative = to rub along. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > perseverance or persistence > persevere or persist [verb (intransitive)]
continuec1340
perseverec1380
stick1447
to rub on1469
to stick unto ——1529
persist1531
to make it tougha1549
whilea1617
subsist1632
to rub along1668
let the world rub1677
dog1692
wade1714
to stem one's course1826
to stick in1853
to hang on1860
to worry along1871
to stay the course1885
slug1943
to slug it out1943
to bash on1950
to soldier on1954
to keep on trucking1972
1469 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 551 I wyll rubbe on as longe as I maye bothe wyth myn owne and othyr menys.
1581 J. Studley tr. Seneca Hippolytus ii, in T. Newton et al. tr. Seneca 10 Trag. f. 63 Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Passer He hath goods enow to rub on, or to serue his turne, with.
1678 V. Alsop Melius Inquirendum ii. ix. 329 Whosoever shall..teach us the Art to rub on with a doubting Conscience, has paved a broad Causway for..his Holiness.
1705 F. Fuller Medicina Gymnastica 250 Most People are supinely content..to rub on in a Sickly Condition.
a1777 S. Foote Capuchin (1778) i. 108 We be contented, Sir Harry, to rub on in our rust.
1846 J. G. Lockhart in Croker Papers 16 Dec. (1884) III [They] thought Government would rub on with this Parliament till August.
1880 M. E. Braddon Just as I Am xvii I hope we shall always manage to rub on somehow.
1894 T. Hardy Life's Little Ironies 192 Well, as for Longpuddle, we rub on there much as usual.
1913 F. E. Dugdale Let. 3 Dec. in Lett. E. & F. Hardy (1996) 88 It is only for his sake that I manage to rub on from day to day.
 to rub out
1. transitive.
a. To efface, erase, or obliterate by rubbing; (now) spec. to erase (a pencil mark) with a rubber. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.to rub out old scores: see score n. 11b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > efface, obliterate [verb (transitive)] > by rubbing
planec1350
to rub outc1400
to rub offa1425
sponge1548
wipe1564
spongea1636
sponge1720
smear1838
c1400 J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 231 (MED) So shulde men rubbe oute þe defautes of freris.
1533 J. Frith Bk. answeringe Mores Let. sig. H.2 Hys conscience be so cankerd that the ruste wyll not be rubbed oute.
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 93 He rubbeth out the print of his bodie and steps.
1576 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent 285 We may both vtterly rubbe out the olde blemishe.
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 208 The pencil doth sometimes help the art, as well by rubbing out what was painted, as by painting.
1675 V. Alsop Anti-Sozzo iii. 321 It's as possible for..the Leopard to rub out his Dapples, as for such a one..to doe good.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 41 Why should a Man rub out good things, without a solid Consideration for it?
1771 A. M. E. Cooke Hermit Converted i. iii. 22 You have left the black book of all your own sins behind you, with your deeds to the church to rub them out.
1779 B. Talbot New Art of Land Measuring 330 The pencil lines may be rubbed out with a bit of stale bread.
a1822 P. B. Shelley Peter Bell III vii, in Poet. Wks. (?1840) 245/1 Like one who rubs out an account.
1894 A. Robertson Nuggets 179 There wasn't a figure in the landscape. She was rubbed out of the drawing.
1921 J. Galsworthy To Let 65 Jon..made marks on the paper and rubbed them out and wrote them in again.
1959 Home Encycl. 156 Chrysanthemums should now be budded and side shoots rubbed out.
1995 D. McLean Bunker Man 9 I've just been having a kick around with the S2s on the blaze pitch, and I was noticing the line markings are pretty rubbed out. Is that right? said Rob.
b. slang (chiefly U.S.). To wipe out, kill; to murder, assassinate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > killing > kill [verb (transitive)]
swevec725
quelmeOE
slayc893
quelleOE
of-falleOE
ofslayeOE
aquellc950
ayeteeOE
spillc950
beliveOE
to bring (also do) of (one's) life-dayOE
fordoa1000
forfarea1000
asweveOE
drepeOE
forleseOE
martyrOE
to do (also i-do, draw) of lifeOE
bringc1175
off-quellc1175
quenchc1175
forswelta1225
adeadc1225
to bring of daysc1225
to do to deathc1225
to draw (a person) to deathc1225
murder?c1225
aslayc1275
forferec1275
to lay to ground, to earth (Sc. at eird)c1275
martyrc1300
strangle1303
destroya1325
misdoa1325
killc1330
tailc1330
to take the life of (also fro)c1330
enda1340
to kill to (into, unto) death1362
brittena1375
deadc1374
to ding to deathc1380
mortifya1382
perisha1387
to dight to death1393
colea1400
fella1400
kill out (away, down, up)a1400
to slay up or downa1400
swelta1400
voida1400
deliverc1400
starvec1425
jugylc1440
morta1450
to bring to, on, or upon (one's) bierc1480
to put offc1485
to-slaya1500
to make away with1502
to put (a person or thing) to silencec1503
rida1513
to put downa1525
to hang out of the way1528
dispatch?1529
strikea1535
occidea1538
to firk to death, (out) of lifec1540
to fling to deathc1540
extinct1548
to make out of the way1551
to fet offa1556
to cut offc1565
to make away?1566
occise1575
spoil1578
senda1586
to put away1588
exanimate1593
unmortalize1593
speed1594
unlive1594
execute1597
dislive1598
extinguish1598
to lay along1599
to make hence1605
conclude1606
kill off1607
disanimate1609
feeze1609
to smite, stab in, under the fifth rib1611
to kill dead1615
transporta1616
spatch1616
to take off1619
mactate1623
to make meat of1632
to turn up1642
inanimate1647
pop1649
enecate1657
cadaverate1658
expedite1678
to make dog's meat of1679
to make mincemeat of1709
sluice1749
finisha1753
royna1770
still1778
do1780
deaden1807
deathifyc1810
to lay out1829
cool1833
to use up1833
puckeroo1840
to rub out1840
cadaverize1841
to put under the sod1847
suicide1852
outkill1860
to fix1875
to put under1879
corpse1884
stiffen1888
tip1891
to do away with1899
to take out1900
stretch1902
red-light1906
huff1919
to knock rotten1919
skittle1919
liquidate1924
clip1927
to set over1931
creasea1935
ice1941
lose1942
to put to sleep1942
zap1942
hit1955
to take down1967
wax1968
trash1973
ace1975
1840 Tait's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 108 ‘He must have had rubs now and then, eh?’.. ‘Hard as they are, they don't seem likely to rub him out,’ retorted my cousin.
a1848 G. F. Ruxton Life in Far West (1849) i. 13 Five of our boys got rubbed out that time.
1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 303 You seem to have seen these poor fellows..just before they were rubbed out.
1936 E. Ambler Dark Frontier vii. 111 Rovzidski rubbed out by Red Gauntlet mob... Government fail to take action against slayers.
1950 A. Lomax Mister Jelly Roll 220 The gangsters..had promised to rub him out if he didn't stop trying to hire away their star New Orleans side-men.
1995 Empire May 117/2 A manic depressive who hires a hitman to rub himself out.
†2. intransitive. figurative. To get by; to live or last out. Cf. to rub along, to rub on. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > recourse > have recourse [verb (intransitive)] > get by in haphazard way
to rub out1570
to muddle on1701
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1892/1 He thus in great care and vexation endured.., rubbyng out as well as hee could.
1587 R. Morton Let. 17 June in Publ. Catholic Rec. Soc. (1908) 5 139 He is nott able to live havynge made harde shifte heare to rubbe owt this deare tyme.
1602 2nd Pt. Returne fr. Parnassus i. iv. 429 Let vs proue Conycatchers, Baudes, or any thing, so we may rub out.
1616 S. Hieron Dignitie of Preaching (new ed.) in Wks. (1620) I. 586 A man makes a shift to rub out an houre, and to haue somewhat stil to say.
1670 S. Wilson Lassels's Voy. Italy (new ed.) ii. 10 A poore widdow of Rome..rubbed out poorly, but yet honestly.
3. transitive. To extract (grain) from ears of wheat, etc., by rubbing. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > [verb (transitive)] > clean grain > by rubbing
briteOE
rub?a1513
to rub out1719
1579 J. Rogers Answere vnto Wicked & Infamous Libel sig. B.vii They goyng through a corne fielde pluckt of the eares & rubbed out the corns & eat.
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) iv. vii. 348 Mankind is negligent in improving his Observation, he never rubs the Corn out of the Ear.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 170 My Corn, which I always rubb'd out as soon as it was dry.
1807 T. Young Course Lect. Nat. Philos. I. xix. 232 A number of blocks, projecting from the surface of the cylinder, beat or rub out the grains very effectually from the ears.
1893 G. E. Dartnell & E. H. Goddard Gloss. Words Wilts. Brit, Brittle out, to rub grain out in the hand.
1910 J. E. Patterson Tillers of Soil i. 12 She proceeded to rub the corn out of its ear.
4. transitive. Printing. To spread out (ink). Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > printing > preparatory processes > [verb (transitive)] > temper ink
bray1688
to rub out1787
brayer1824
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 336 He keeps the Rubb'd out Inck on the Inck-block of an equal Fatness.]
1787 Smith's Printer's Gram. (new ed.) 350 Before the Pressman goes to work, he rubs out his Ink.
1888 C. T. Jacobi Printers' Vocab. 115 Rub out ink, to rub by means of the brayer the ink on the ink table previous to distribution.
1915 N. Underwood & T. V. Sullivan Chem. & Technol. Printing Inks 16 (caption) Muller and Slab, Showing Method of Rubbing Out Colours.
2004 R.-G. Rummonds 19th-cent. Printing Pract. & Iron Handpress xix. 529 The ink brayer..was a round wooden muller with a flat bottom. It was used to bray or rub out ink.
†5. transitive. To exclude from favour or reduce in importance (a member of Parliament). Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1792 J. Pearson Polit. Dict. 50 Rubbing-out, a cursed hawking, and spitting, and shuffling of the feet, at any Member the House does not like to hear speak. Sir Joseph Mawbey was rubbed out the last Parliament.
1876 Victoria (Austral.) Parl. Deb. 22 1493/1 The protectionists rubbed him out altogether, and he was reduced to his former position of a private member.
 to rub over
transitive. To go over (something) with the hand, a tool, etc., in the process of rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > rubbing or friction > rub [verb (transitive)] > rub with something
rub?a1425
strake1506
to rub over1647
scrub1844
1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus ii. f. 17 The fletcher draweth a fether when he hath but one swappe at it with his knyfe, and then playneth it a lytle, with rubbynge it ouer his knyfe.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 148 Let it [sc. cheese] be rubbed ouer with Meale of vndryed Barley..and after, the outer rynde scraped of.
1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 74 J come to rubbe over my work.
1658 E. Phillips New World Eng. Words Varnish, is that wherewith a picture is rubbed over to make it shine and have a glosse.
1778 Encycl. Brit. III. 2292/2 With some fine-pounded charcoal..rub over the pierced lines.
1876 W. H. Preece & J. Sivewright Telegraphy 18 Zinc may be amalgamated by being first cleaned..and then rubbed over with mercury.
1954 Househ. Guide & Almanac (News of World) 95/1 When all the paint is removed, finish off the surface by rubbing it over with a rag soaked in turpentine.
1993 Collins Compl. DIY Man. (new ed.) ii. 53/1 Finally, rub it over with a tack rag (an impregnated cloth to which dust will stick) or with a rag moistened with white spirit.
 to rub through
intransitive. figurative. To get through, endure. Also transitive, and with through as preposition. Cf. to rub along. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1625 W. Bradford Let. in Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. (1794) 1st Ser. III. 36 Except we may have things, both more serviceable, and at better rates, we shall never be able to rub through.
1680 V. Alsop Mischief Impositions 103 Thus have I at length rub'd through the Reverend Authors Discourse.
1683 W. Kennett tr. Erasmus Witt against Wisdom 16 There is not any one Country whose inhabitants..rub through the world with more ease and quiet.
1707 E. Ward Wooden World Dissected 55 Having liv'd in various Regions, and rubb'd through many Callings.
1780 A. Hamilton Let. 16 May in Papers (1961) II. 324 We are entered deeply in a contest on which our all depends. We must endeavor to rub through it.
1815 Ld. Dudley Let. 17 Jan. (1840) 85 Winter..he rubs through as well as he can by the help of patience and a cloak.
1849 M. Arnold Resignation 138 They rubb'd through yesterday In their hereditary way; And they will rub through, if they can, To-morrow on the self-same plan.
1906 Century July 469/1 If they could get hold of a good masseur and keep him right with them..they could manage to rub through to the end.
1916 Unpopular Rev. 6 339 Personally I contrived to rub through childhood without ever seeing a gross-beak.
 to rub up
1. transitive.
†a. To recall to mind (an incident, etc.); to revive (a memory). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > call to mind, recollect [verb (transitive)] > something specified
recollect1559
to rub up?1571
rub1574
recall1579
mind1590
resummon1605
?1571 tr. G. Buchanan Detectioun Marie Quene of Scottes sig. Ijv I had rathest rubbe vp the remembrance of that day quhen the Quene..came to the nobilitie.
1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 724 We spake of it before, but we must of necessitie often rub vp the remembrance thereof.
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 596 Rubbing vp the slaughters at Caire, Eubœa, Methone, and Constantinople.
1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. 236 Then the Clergy rub up all old sores, and exhibite their complaints to their holy Father.
1680 Sir C. Lyttelton in E. M. Thompson Corr. Family of Hatton (1878) I. 232 If you have a mind to rubb up ye memory of yr old loves, I can help you a little in it.
1715 Disc. on Death 7 They..began to rub up their Memories of their past.
1827 W. Scott Jrnl. 21 July (1941) 79 We rubbed up some recollections of twenty years ago.
1840 T. Hood Up Rhine 6 We rubbed up our old stories and old songs.
1882 D. B. W. Sladen Frithjof & Ingeborg 139 When I look upon her face, Making Dick a schoolboy Cid, Rubbing up the feats he did.
b. To refresh or strengthen (one's memory, knowledge, skills, etc.). Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > amending > restoration > restore [verb (transitive)] > renovate or renew > refurbish > specific something immaterial
to rub up1594
1594 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. II. 502 Their memories are rubbed vp by doctrine and instruction bestowed vpon them.
1643 J. Lightfoot Handfull Gleanings Exod. 11 Moses..rubbeth up his faith againe.
1663 S. Patrick Parable of Pilgrim 314 To rub up my memory and to fasten those things in my mind which hung loose before.
1727 J. M. Smythe Rival Modes ii. 19 If he should forget..I can but rub up his Memory with asking him.
1778 F. Burney Let. 27 Aug. in Early Jrnls. & Lett. (1994) III. 112 There can be no better House for rubbing up the memory.
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering II. 328 An East-Indian must rub up his faculties a little..before he enters this sort of society.
1818 Lady Morgan in Passages from Autobiogr. (1859) 126 I..have begun a course of history, ancient and modern, to rub up my memory before I touch on classic ground.
1989 R. A. B. Mynors tr. Erasmus Adages 53 We speak also of rubbing up the memory, or jogging the memory, which means administering a mild reminder, but nearly always with intent to annoy.
c. To brush up, revive, or renew one's knowledge of (a subject). Also occasionally intransitive. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > education > learning > [verb (transitive)] > relearn
to rub up1613
relearn1694
refresh1781
to brush up1788
1613 J. Heath tr. P. Du Moulin Accomplishm. Prophecies iv. 285 The importunity of our adversaries haue forced me to play the schoole boy, and to rub vp my old Grammar learning.
1775 R. B. Sheridan Rivals iii. iv I must rub up my balancing, and chasing, and boring.
1799 H. More Strict. Mod. Syst. Fem. Educ. (ed. 4) I. 232 Some profession, which should oblige him, as we say, to rub up his Greek and Latin.
1813 T. B. Macaulay Let. 8 May in G. O. Trevelyan Life & Lett. Macaulay (1876) I. i. 44 I shall have also to rub up my Mathematics.
1863 J. Coldstream in Balfour Biogr. (1865) v. 190 I was far behind and very much needed to ‘rub up’.
1884 H. R. Haggard Dawn I. xx. 307 I shall be glad of the opportunity of rubbing up my classics a little.
1909 Munsey's Mag. Sept. 922/2 She thanked Mrs. Westmoreland for the charming afternoon and the privilege of rubbing up her rusty French.
1960 N. Mitford Don't tell Alfred ii. 27 He had gone to Barcelona to rub up his Spanish.
2. transitive. To make clean, clear, or bright (again) by rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > scouring, scrubbing, or rubbing > scour, scrub, or rub [verb (transitive)]
ruokenc1275
scour?a1366
ruba1382
shorec1460
off-scour1578
scrubc1595
to rub up1605
hog1651
scummer1678
scurrifunge1789
1605 C. Tourneur Laugh & lie Downe sig. C3 With her handes vppe to the Elbowes in a washing-boul, rubbing vppe a baby-clowt.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew To Vamp, to new Dress, Licker, Refresh, or Rub up old Hatts, Boots, &c.
1847 C. Brontë Jane Eyre III. viii. 183 My first aim will be..to clean down Moor House..my next to rub it up with bees-wax, oil, and..cloths, till it glitters again.
1859 H. B. Stowe Minister's Wooing xviii. 179 He rubbed up his optical instruments to see whether they were rising in right order.
1886 F. R. Stockton Casting away Mrs. Lecks & Mrs. Aleshine iii. 111 In the mornin' I'll rub up that floor till it's as bright as new.
1974 A. Ross Bradford Business 76 Even the short heavy bolts had been rubbed up with a wire brush.
2006 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 24 Oct. c17/5 I rub up my baseballs all the time.
3.
a. transitive. slang. To touch or caress (a person, a part of the body) in order to excite sexually.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > action of caressing > caress [verb (transitive)] > caress in order to excite sexually
to rub up1656
to touch up1785
titillate1871
touch1892
1656 R. Fletcher tr. Martial Epigrams ix. xxx, in Ex Otio Negotium 102 Me thinks I scarcely am wound up by thee..to the height of Venerie... Thus Phillis rub me up, thus tickle mee.
1772 T. Bridges Burlesque Transl. Homer (rev. ed.) 42 Thetis, stroking your knees, as on the ground you sat, and rubbing up, the Lord knows what.
1865 ‘Philocomus’ Love Feast ii. 16 I rubbed it up, I stroked it down..and then with gentle touch Rubbed the soft nut I loved so much.
1939 J. Joyce Finnegans Wake i. 203 Rubbing her up and smoothing her down, he baised his lippes in smiling mood.
1997 B. O'Connor Tell her you love Her 141 They'd sloppy-kiss, edge to the tank; rub each other up, but I was on guard, stayed solid, watched for the sudden lunge, the stabbing fork.
2001 Sleazenation Dec. 115/1 An utterly punk-rock shambles ensued with..her female stage-mate rubbing-up the girls at the front and caressing breasts willy-nilly.
b. intransitive. slang. To masturbate; (also) to rub oneself on a person or thing in a sexually arousing manner.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > masturbation > masturbate [verb (intransitive)]
frig1598
mastuprate1623
masturbate1839
to jerk off1865
rub1902
to rub up1902
wank1905
to jack off1916
to pull one's (or the) pud (also pudding, wire, etc.)1927
to toss off1927
to play pocket billiards1940
to beat one's meat1948
to wank off1951
whack1969
to choke the chicken1975
fap2001
1902 J. S. Farmer & W. E. Henley Slang VI. at Rub To masturbate..; also to rub up.
1937 E. Partridge Dict. Slang 710/2 Rub up, the v. corresponding to rub off, 2 [i.e. a masturbation].
1963 C. Mackenzie My Life & Times II. 115 Just as I was going down the steps into our area B—— asked me if I ever rubbed up... In bed that night I tried the experiment recommended by B——.
2007 H. Hunter & M. Valentine Insatiable 216 Many were coked up and horny, judging by the way they were rubbing up on each other.
4. transitive. To mix or prepare by rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > prepare [verb (transitive)] > for use > by rubbing, beating, etc.
tewa1642
to rub up1697
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World i. 2 We..rubb'd up 20 or 30 pound of Chocolate with Sugar to sweeten it.
1782 Gentleman's Mag. Oct. 488/2 Two ounces of mercury, rubbed with a drop or two of vitrilic ether, to which was added barely a grain of the white powder, which was afterwards rubbed up with it for about three minutes.
1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xi. 127 The camphor should be previously triturated..and the whole must be rubbed up into the form of an emulsion.
1873 E. Spon Workshop Receipts 1st Ser. 3/1 No ink should be used except indian ink, rubbed up fresh every day upon a clean palette.
1913 F. Forchheimer Therapeusis Internal Dis. II. vi. 203 Ten grains..of the subnitrate may be rubbed up in chalk mixture and should be given every two or three hours.
1989 O. Senior in S. Brown Caribbean New Wave (1990) 165 Once I helped her to rub up the flour dumplings.
5. transitive. to rub (a person, etc.) up the wrong way = sense 5a. Also without the wrong way.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irritation > irritate [verb (transitive)]
gremec893
grillc897
teenOE
mispay?c1225
agrillec1275
oftenec1275
tarya1300
tarc1300
atenec1320
enchafec1374
to-tarc1384
stingc1386
chafe?a1400
pokec1400
irec1420
ertc1440
rehete1447
nettlec1450
bog1546
tickle1548
touch1581
urge1593
aggravate1598
irritate1598
dishumour1600
to wind up1602
to pick at ——1603
outhumour1607
vex1625
bloody1633
efferate1653
rankle1659
spleen1689
splenetize1700
rile1724
roil1742
to put out1796
to touch (also get, catch, etc.) (a person) on the raw1823
roughen1837
acerbate1845
to stroke against the hair, the wrong way (of the hair)1846
nag1849
to rub (a person, etc.) up the wrong way1859
frump1862
rattle1865
to set up any one's bristles1873
urticate1873
needle1874
draw1876
to rough up1877
to stick pins into1879
to get on ——1880
to make (someone) tiredc1883
razoo1890
to get under a person's skin1896
to get a person's goat1905
to be on at1907
to get a person's nanny1909
cag1919
to get a person's nanny-goat1928
cagmag1932
peeve1934
tick-off1934
to get on a person's tits1945
to piss off1946
bug1947
to get up a person's nose1951
tee1955
bum1970
tick1975
1859 D. M. Craik Life for Life II. vi. 168 You have no warmer friend than my father, if only you wouldn't rub him up the wrong way.
1862 H. Aïdé Carr of Carrlyon III. 55 Don't rub her prejudices up the wrong way,..if you can help it.
1882 E. W. Hamilton Diary 31 Aug. (1972) I. 328 Lord Dufferin is half inclined to advise that we should concede this to them in order not to rub up the Sultan more than we can help.
1938 D. Du Maurier Rebecca x. 140 Poor old Beatrice always does rub me up the wrong way.
1971 Weekend World (Johannesburg) 9 May 6/7 Judges, magistrates, prosecutors, defence lawyers treat everybody alike, but the minor officials sure know how to rub up a non-White.
2005 N. Hornby Long Way Down 28 I think they picked me because I hadn't really said anything, and I hadn't rubbed anyone up the wrong way yet.

Compounds

General attributive.
rub-board n. (a) a board fitted with teeth, over which newly manufactured linen is drawn in finishing; (b) North American a washboard; also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile manufacture > manufacture textile fabric or that which consists of > manufacture of textile fabric > treating or processing textile fabric > [noun] > putting nap on > other equipment
card1463
percha1533
pickard1549
frieze-board1688
rub-board1737
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > washing > washing clothes and textile articles > [noun] > board on which clothes are rubbed
washboard1845
rub-board1964
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > other musical instruments > [noun] > washboard
washboard1925
rub-board1964
1737 Gentleman's Mag. Apr. 232/2 This [flax] is so hard to whiten, that scarce any thing, except the Rub-Boards, will take out the Sprit.
1780 A. Young Tour Ireland (Dublin ed.) I. 180 Thence into the rub boards; if coarse cloth one rub sufficient.
?1881 Census Eng. & Wales: Instr. Clerks classifying Occupations & Ages (?1885) Index Rubboard Man (Bleach Works).
1937 Z. N. Hurston Their Eyes were watching God vi. 83 Dat mule so skinny till de women is usin' his rib bones fuh uh rub-board.
1964 Amer. Folk Music Occas. No. 1. 28 Clifton Chenier is no doubt the best known of the so-called ‘Zydeco’ musicians. This music..usually features the accordion with drum or rub-board accompaniment.
1972 Daily Colonist (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 13 Feb. 22/2 Building furniture and washing clothes on a rub board in a small tub.
2001 Day (New London, Connecticut) 30 Aug. (Entertainment This Week section) 5/1 Both are accordion driven, but Cajuns often use a fiddle and a triangle and zydeco musicians use a rubboard.
rub iron n. a protective metal plate against which a part of a machine, etc., may rub; cf. rubbing plate n. at rubbing n. Compounds 1b.
ΚΠ
1868 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Patents 1867 II. 865 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (40th Congr., 2nd Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc. 96) X The spring presses against the revolving rub-iron to keep it from rattling on its bolt.
1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. III. 1998/2 Rub-iron, a plate on a carriage or wagon-bed against which the fore-wheel rubs when turning short.
2006 J. Zuehlke Snowplows 14 (caption) The rub iron scrapes against the curb. It keeps the plow from getting damaged by the hard curb.
rub rail n. a rail which protects a vehicle or vessel from rubbing.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > parts and equipment of motor vehicles > [noun] > frame or chassis > protection against rubbing
rub rail1939
1939 Pop. Mech. Aug. 284 In case of an open boat, such as a dory, which you wish to deck over, all that is necessary is to remove the rub rails, and build as shown in the lower-center detail.
1969 Jane's Freight Containers 1968–9 550/2 Products: G-85 fifth wheel container and general purpose trailer with cushioned rub rails.
1995 Road King June 20/3 The trailer's rub rails, side sills and wheels are shiny aluminum.
2004 Canad. Yachting Apr. 52/2 On the transom is a vinyl rub rail for friendlier docking.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

† rubv.2

Forms: 1500s roub, 1600s rub.
Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: rob v.
Etymology: Variant of rob v. (compare rob v. 6). Perhaps compare rubber n.2
Cards. Obsolete.
intransitive. To take all the cards of one suit. Also: (in the game of ruff (ruff n.4)) to take the four cards left after the deal.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play at cards [verb (intransitive)] > actions or tactics > win points or tricks
rub1600
to sweep the board1680
vole1733
slam1833
make1879
sweat1907
1600 Groome-Porters Lawes at Mawe (single sheet) If you roub (not hauing the Ace) you lose fower, & al the vied cardes.
1607 T. Heywood Woman Kilde with Kindnesse sig. E Anne. Whats Trumpes. Wend. Harts: Partner, I rub.
1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. vii. 386 Thus three aces chance often not to rub.
a1672 F. Willughby Bk. of Games (2003) 146 Everie one having 12 cards a peice, there will remain 4 cards of the deck, which are called the Head... Taking in the head is called Rubbing, and whoever has the Ace of Trumps rubs those 4 cards.
1681 R. L. tr. N. Machiavelli Advice to his Son 3 At Ruff and Trump, note how the Dealer rubs, There is no Pack without the Knave of Clubs.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2020).

† rubv.3

Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant or alteration of another lexical item.
Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps a transitive use of rub v.1 7 (compare quot. 1665 at rub v.1 7).In to rub (a person) to (the) whit, showing Whit n.3
cant. Obsolete.
transitive. To carry (a person) off to prison. Chiefly in to rub (a person) to (the) whit.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > imprison [verb (transitive)] > send or take to
send971
rub1673
mill1838
boob1895
porridge1965
1673 R. Head Canting Acad. 12 If the Cully napps us, As a thing it is unfit To take away the cole from us And rub us to the Whit.
1676 Warn. Housekeepers 5 They rub us to the whitt.
1688 J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 228 Mark you well, Hark you well, see Where they'r rubb'd.
1811 Lexicon Balatronicum at Rub Don't rub us to the whit; don't send us to Newgate.
1859 G. W. Matsell Vocabulum 99 I may bid as high as your pintle, and make you squint like a bag of nails..though you rub us to whit for it.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.11502n.21613n.31818v.1a1325v.21600v.31673
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