Pronunciation: /rʌb/

Definitions of rub

noun An act of rubbing

Example Sentences

A1 I gave my cat a rub behind the ears.

A2 She asked for a rub down after her workout.

B1 The massage therapist used a special rub to help relax my muscles.

B2 I made a homemade rub for the barbecue ribs.

C1 The chef created a unique rub for the steak that added a lot of flavor.

C2 The athlete used a muscle rub to help with soreness after the competition.

verb To move one's hand or a cloth repeatedly back and forth on the surface of something

Example Sentences

A1 I rub my hands together to warm them up.

A2 She rubs her eyes when she's tired.

B1 I need to rub this stain out of my shirt before it sets.

B2 The athlete rubbed his sore muscles after the intense workout.

C1 The jeweler carefully rubbed the diamond to make it shine.

C2 The artist used a special technique to rub charcoal onto the canvas for a dramatic effect.

adjective Used to describe something that involves rubbing

Example Sentences

A1 She rubbed the cat's back gently.

A2 He rubbed his hands together to keep warm.

B1 The chef used a rub of spices to season the meat before grilling.

B2 The athlete applied a muscle rub to soothe his sore muscles after the game.

C1 The artist used a special rub technique to create a textured effect on the canvas.

C2 The archaeologist carefully used a rub technique to reveal the intricate details of the ancient artifact.

Examples of rub in a Sentence

formal The masseuse gently rubbed the client's sore muscles to help alleviate tension.

informal I like to rub my dog's belly because it makes her happy.

slang I rubbed some dirt on the wound to stop the bleeding.

figurative She rubbed salt in the wound by bringing up his past mistakes.

Grammatical Forms of rub

past tense

rubbed

plural

rubs

comparative

more rub

superlative

most rub

present tense

rub

future tense

will rub

perfect tense

have rubbed

continuous tense

is rubbing

singular

rub

positive degree

rub

infinitive

to rub

gerund

rubbing

participle

rubbed

Origin and Evolution of rub

First Known Use: 1200 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'rub' originated from the Old English word 'rubban' which meant to scrape or to polish.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'rub' evolved to refer to the act of applying pressure or friction to a surface in a back and forth motion, often for cleaning or soothing purposes.