abrade
v.v. to wear away a surface by rubbing it against something rough. It can also mean to hurt someone's feelings by being too harsh or rude.
v. to wear away or erode a surface through friction; to cause physical damage or mental distress through harsh treatment. Often used in technical contexts regarding materials or in literary contexts regarding social interactions.
The rough stones abrade the skin of the hikers.
The constant friction of the river current abrades the smooth rock into smaller pebbles over time.
The critic's scathing review abrade the young artist's confidence, leaving him questioning whether his work was truly worth the public's attention.
From Latin abrādō (“scrape off”), from ab (“from, away from”) + rādō (“scrape”). First attested in 1677.
From Middle English abraiden. See abraid.