to subject the surface of (a thing or person) to pressure and friction, as in cleaning, smoothing, polishing, coating, massaging, or soothing

to rub a table top with wax polish; to rub the entire back area.

to move (something) back and forth or with a rotary motion, as against or along another surface

to rub the cloth over the glass pane.

to spread or apply (something) with pressure and friction over something else or a person

to rub lotion on her chapped hands.

to move (two things) with pressure and friction over or back and forth over each other (often fol. by together )

He rubbed his hands together.

to mark, polish, force, move, etc. (something) by pressure and friction (often fol. by over, in, or into ).

to remove by pressure and friction; erase (often fol. by off or out ).

to exert pressure and friction on something.

to move with pressure against something.

to admit of being rubbed in a specified manner

Chalk rubs off easily.

Chiefly British . to proceed, continue in a course, or keep going with effort or difficulty (usually fol. by on, along, or through )

He manages to rub along.

an act or instance of rubbing

an alcohol rub.

something that annoys or irritates one's feelings, as a sharp criticism, a sarcastic remark, or the like

to resent rubs concerning one's character.

an annoying experience or circumstance.

an obstacle, impediment, or difficulty

We'd like to travel, but the rub is that we have no money.

a rough or abraded area caused by rubbing. ?

rub down,

to smooth off, polish, or apply a coating to

to rub a chair down with sandpaper.

to give a massage to.

rub off on, to become transferred or communicated to by example or association

Some of his good luck must have rubbed off on me.

rub out,

to obliterate; erase.

Slang . to murder

They rubbed him out before he could get to the police.

rub it in

Informal . to emphasize or reiterate something unpleasant in order to tease or annoy

The situation was embarrassing enough without having you rub it in.

rub the wrong way

to irritate; offend; annoy

a manner that seemed to rub everyone the wrong way.

rub up, British Informal . to refresh one's memory of (a subject, language

etc.).

noun

blessing , boon , solution

noun

abrasion , attrition , brushing , caress , friction , grinding , kneading , pat , polish , rasping , scouring , scraping , shine , smear , smoothing , stroking , swab , swipe , wear , wipe , bar , catch , crimp , dilemma , drawback , hamper , hindrance , hitch , hurdle , impediment , obstacle , predicament , snag , stumbling block * , traverse , trouble

verb

abrade , anoint , apply , bark , brush , buff , burnish , caress , chafe , clean , coat , cover , curry , daub , erase , erode , excoriate , file , fray , fret , furbish , glance , glaze , gloss , grate , graze , grind , knead , mop , paint , pat , plaster , polish , put , rasp , scour , scrape , scrub , shine , slather , smear , smooth , spread , swab , triturate , wear , wear down , wipe , annul , blot , cross , delete , efface , expunge , obliterate , scratch , strike , undo , x , annoy , difficulty , embrocate , friction , hindrance , hurdle , impediment , irk , irritate , massage , nettle , obstacle , problem , snag , stroke , vex

phrasal verb

abolish , blot out , clear , eradicate , erase , exterminate , extinguish , extirpate , kill , liquidate , obliterate , remove , root , snuff out , stamp out , uproot , wipe out , destroy , finish , slay