rub down
To rub from top to bottom, e.g. for cleaning, stripping paint or massage.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Please rub down the table before we eat.”
“The carpenter needs to rub down the old wooden chair before applying a fresh coat of paint.”
“After the long race, the trainer helped the athlete rub down his tired muscles to improve circulation and reduce soreness.”
- 01
rub elbows
To associate closely; to consort, mingle, or socialize.
- 02
rub in
To make a point in an irritatingly emphatic manner.
- 03
rub it in
To add insult to injury; to emphasize one's strengths or another's weaknesses in a manner that degrades another.
- 04
rub off
To be transferred with little or no effort.
- 05
rub off on
To be acquired by or transferred to (someone) as a result of regular exposure.
- 06
rub one's hands together
To anticipate something eagerly.
- 07
rub salt in someone's wounds
To make a painful situation even worse (even with the best of intentions).
- 08
rub salt in the wound
To aggravate or exacerbate a physical or emotional injury.
Last updated August 10, 2026