rub

I. verb (rubbed; rubbing) Etymology: Middle English rubben; akin to East Frisian rubben to rub, scrape, Icelandic rubba to scrape Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. a. to move along the surface of a body with pressure ; grate b. (1) to fret or chafe with or as if with friction (2) to cause discontent, irritation, or anger 2. to continue in a situation usually with slight difficulty <

in spite of financial difficulties, he is rubbing along

> 3. to admit of being rubbed (as for erasure or obliteration) transitive verb 1. a. to subject to or as if to the action of something moving especially back and forth with pressure and friction b. (1) to cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface (2) to treat in any of various ways by rubbing c. to bring into reciprocal back-and-forth or rotary contact 2. annoy, irritate II. noun Date: 1586 1. a. an unevenness of surface (as of the ground in lawn bowling) b. obstruction, difficulty <

the rub is that so few of the scholars have any sense of this truth themselves — Benjamin Farrington

> c. something grating to the feelings (as a gibe or harsh criticism) d. something that mars serenity 2. the application of friction with pressure <

an alcohol rub

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