RUB (rubbed, rubbing)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: rubbed    , rubbing   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rub mean? 

• RUB (noun)
  The noun RUB has 2 senses:

1. an unforeseen obstacle

2. the act of rubbing or wiping

  Familiarity information: RUB used as a noun is rare.

• RUB (verb)
  The verb RUB has 3 senses:

1. move over something with pressure

2. cause friction

3. scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

  Familiarity information: RUB used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RUB (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unforeseen obstacle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

hang-up; hitch; rub; snag

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

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of rubbing or wiping

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

rub; wipe

Context example:

he gave the hood a quick rub

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

contact; physical contact (the act of touching physically)

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

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

Derivation:

rub (move over something with pressure)

rub (scrape or rub as if to relieve itching)

• RUB (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they rub    ... he / she / it rubs   
Past simple: rubbed   
Past participle: rubbed   
-ing form: rubbing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move over something with pressure

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

rub oil into her skin

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

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

"Rub" entails doing...:

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

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

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

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

gauge (rub to a uniform size)

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

rosin (rub rosin onto)

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

worry (touch or rub constantly)

scour; scrub (clean with hard rubbing)

abrade; scour (rub hard or scrub)

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

grate; scrape (scratch repeatedly)

pass over; wipe (rub with a circular motion)

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sentence examples:

They rub sugar over the cake
They rub the cake with sugar

Also:

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

rub down; rub off (wear away)

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

Derivation:

rub (the act of rubbing or wiping)

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause friction

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

chafe; fray; fret; rub; scratch

Context example:

my sweater scratches

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

Scrape or rub as if to relieve itching

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

itch; rub; scratch

Context example:

Don't scratch your insect bites!

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

rub (the act of rubbing or wiping)

 Context examples 

Then he took him out, and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his arms that the blood might circulate again.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

“Yes, child,” said my aunt, rubbing her nose again.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I rubbed my eyes often, but the same objects still occurred.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Martin listened and fain would have rubbed his eyes.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

But if someone else rubs my sole unexpectedly, the exact same sensation will be unpredicted.

(Talking to Ourselves And Voices in Our Heads, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The strange god walked softly, but more softly walked White Fang, for he had no clothes to rub against the flesh of his body.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Bones under the cartilage may then rub together, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and disability.

(Stem cells grown on scaffold mimic hip joint cartilage, NIH)

Holmes sat up in his chair and rubbed his hands.

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

With the other mittened hand he rubbed his cheeks and nose.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

About three in the morning she was caught by a cold cramp, and after I had rubbed her out of that she became quite numb.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)