Rub

rub, v.t. to move something over the surface of with pre ure or friction: to clean, polish, or smooth, by pa ing something over: to wipe: to scour: to remove by friction (with off , out ): to erase or obliterate (with out ): to touch hard, fret: at bowls, to touch the jack with the bowl.— v.i. to move along with pre ure, friction, or difficulty: to get through difficulties: to grate, to fret:— pr.p. rub′bing; pa.t. and pa.p. rubbed.— n. the act of rubbing: that which rubs: a collision: an obstruction: difficulty: a pinch: a joke: a sarcasm: a flaw: a rubber at cards.— ns. Rub′-a-dub , the sound of the drum when beaten; Rub′-ī′ron , a wheel-guard, or wheel-guard plate; Rub′stone , a whetstone: a coarse-grained sandstone used for sharpening instruments.— Rubbed work , work in stone smoothed by rubbing with gritstone; Rub down , to rub from top to bottom; Rub in , to force into the pores of by friction: to reiterate or emphasise; Rub out , to erase; Rub the wrong way , to irritate by opposition; Rub up , to polish: to freshen the memory. [Most prob. Celt.; Gael. rub , W. rhwbio , to rub, to grind.]