ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rubbing

n.
US //ˈɹəbɪŋ// UK //ɹˈʌbɪŋ// rub·bing
  1. 1 an artistic copy (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a picture made by placing paper over a textured surface and pressing a pencil or crayon over it.

    an impression of a raised or recessed surface made by placing paper over it and applying a colouring agent to reveal the texture.

    Example

    The children made a rubbing of the old coin to see the date more clearly.

    Example

    The historian carefully created a charcoal rubbing of the medieval gravestone to preserve the fading inscription for future study.

Etymology 1

From Middle English rubbinge, rubbynge, equivalent to rub + -ing.

Etymology 2

From rub + -ing.

Word family

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