ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rubs

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɹəbz// UK //ɹˈʌbz// rubs

v. to move your hand or a cloth back and forth over a surface while pressing down. You often do this to clean something or to make a sore muscle feel better.

v. to apply pressure and friction to a surface with a circular or back-and-forth motion. Typically describes physical contact between a hand, tool, or cloth and an object or body part.


SIMPLE

She rubs her eyes when she is tired.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete rubs a special cream into his legs to help his muscles recover after the race.

COMPLEX

He gently rubs the antique silver with a soft cloth to restore its original shine without scratching the delicate surface.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and usually takes a direct object representing the surface or the substance being applied.

Pitfall

he rub his handshe rubs his handsLearners often forget the third-person singular 's' ending in the present simple tense.

© 2026 English Reference