GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
last match results
Found 3 definitions
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Rub (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing.] [Probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. rhwbiaw, gael. rub.]
1. To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, “to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper”.
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It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth. Sir T. Elyot.
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2. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, “the boat rubs the ground”.
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3. To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, “to rub the hand over the body”.
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Two bones rubbed hard against one another. Arbuthnot.
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4. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
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The smoothed plank, . . .
New rubbed with balm. Milton.
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5. To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, “to rub up silver”.
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The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation. South.
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6. To hinder; to cross; to thwart. [R.]
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'T is the duke's pleasure,
Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
Will not be rubbed nor stopped. Shak.
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To rub down. (a) To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse. (b) To reduce or remove by rubbing; as, to rub down the rough points. -- To rub off, to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, “to rub off rust”. -- To rub out, to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, “to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain”. -- To rub up. (a) To burnish; to polish; to clean. (b) To excite; to awaken; to rouse to action; as, “to rub up the memory”.
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Rub, v. i.
1. To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, “a wheel rubs against the gatepost”.
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2. To fret; to chafe; as, “to rub upon a sore”.
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3. To move or pass with difficulty; as, “to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world”.
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To rub along or on, to go on with difficulty; as, “they manage, with strict economy, to rub along”. [Colloq.]
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Rub, n. [Cf. W. rhwb. See Rub, v,t,]
1. The act of rubbing; friction.
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2. That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.
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Every rub is smoothed on our way. Shak.
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To sleep, perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub. Shak.
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Upon this rub, the English ambassadors thought fit to demur. Hayward.
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One knows not, certainly, what other rubs might have been ordained for us by a wise Providence. W. Besant.
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3. Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness. Shak.
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4. Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, “a hard rub”.
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5. Imperfection; failing; fault. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
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6. A chance. [Obs.]
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Flight shall leave no Greek a rub. Chapman.
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7. A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone.
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Rub iron, an iron guard on a wagon body, against which a wheel rubs when cramped too much. -- Rub of the green (Golf), anything happening to a ball in motion, such as its being deflected or stopped by any agency outside the match, or by the fore caddie.
[1913 Webster + Webster 1913 Suppl.]