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rub

v. · n.
US //ˈɹəb// UK //ɹˈʌb// rub
  1. 1 to apply friction (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to move your hand or a cloth back and forth over a surface while pressing down.

    to move an object or hand across a surface with pressure and friction. Often used transitively with a direct object.

    Example

    He had to rub his hands together to stay warm in the cold wind.

    Example

    The therapist began to rub the patient's lower back to alleviate the muscle tension caused by hours of sedentary office work.
  2. 2 to spread a substance (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to put a cream, oil, or liquid onto a surface by pressing and moving your hand.

    to apply a substance to a surface through the use of pressure and circular or linear motion.

    Example

    You should rub some sun cream on your shoulders before going outside.

    Example

    The woodworker carefully rubbed a layer of beeswax into the mahogany table to bring out the natural grain of the timber.
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  1. 3 the act of rubbing (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the action of moving your hand or a cloth over something.

    an instance of applying friction or pressure to a surface.

    Example

    Give the table a quick rub with this cloth to get the dust off.

    Example

    A vigorous rub with a dry towel is often enough to restore the shine to slightly tarnished silverware.
  2. 4 a problem or difficulty (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    a problem or a tricky part of a situation.

    a central difficulty or obstacle in a situation; famously used in the idiomatic phrase 'there's the rub'.

    Example

    The plan sounds perfect, but here is the rub: we have no money.

    Example

    The proposal offers a sustainable solution to the energy crisis, but the rub lies in the massive initial investment required from taxpayers.

    Usage

    Usually appears in the singular, often following 'the'.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is most famous from Shakespeare's Hamlet; it is used in modern English to point out a specific, hidden problem in a plan.
  3. 5 cooking spices (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    a mixture of spices that you press into meat before cooking it.

    a dry or wet mixture of seasonings applied to the surface of raw food, especially meat, before grilling or roasting.

    Example

    He prepared a spicy rub for the chicken before putting it on the barbecue.

    Example

    The chef applied a coffee-based dry rub to the brisket, allowing the flavours to penetrate the meat for several hours before smoking it.
Origin

Inherited from Middle English rubben, of unknown origin; possibly ultimately from Proto-Germanic rubbōną, related to reufaną (“to tear”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian rubje (“to rub, scrape”), German Low German rubben (“to rub”), Low German rubblig (“rough, uneven”), Dutch robben, rubben (“to rub smooth; scrape; scrub”), Danish rubbe (“to rub, scrub”), Icelandic and Norwegian rubba (“to scrape”). More at reave. Compare typologically Latin fricō < friō < Proto-Indo-European *bʰreyH- (whence also Russian брить (britʹ, “to shave”)).

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