(v. t.) To subject (a body) to the action of something moving over its surface with pressure and friction, especially to the action of something moving back and forth; as, to rub the flesh with the hand; to rub wood with sandpaper.
(v. t.) To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
(v. t.) To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
(v. t.) To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
(v. t.) To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
(v. t.) To hinder; to cross; to thwart.
(v. i.) To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.
(v. i.) To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.
(v. i.) To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world.
(n.) The act of rubbing; friction.
(n.) That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.
(n.) Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness.
(n.) Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.
(n.) Imperfection; failing; fault.
(n.) A chance.
(n.) A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone.
Example Sentences:
(1) Neither acetylcholine nor leukotriene D4 altered tone of arterial rings after the endothelium had been intentionally disrupted by rubbing with a cotton-tipped applicator.
(2) Rubbed rings, but not intact ones, contracted when Ca2+ was added to a previously Ca2+-free medium containing angiotensin II or adrenaline.
(3) Immediately after eye rubbing the conjunctival epithelium was histologically disrupted and 50% of the mast cells showed evidence of degranulation.
(4) But this morning's right-of-centre national papers were determined to rub his nose in the dirt.
(5) Long-term rubbing of a pressure stocking and splint was believed to be responsible for breakdown in the graft of the patient who had a hypertrophic scar.
(6) I think we all pine for the good old days when politicians actually wrote bills, and bills actually became laws and can I rub your arms a little?
(7) The specific endonuclease Bam HI from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (RUB 500) has been purified to apparent homogeneity.
(8) Ultz, who is also a well-known stage designer, is the only white person in the company - something the play rubs his nose in.
(9) Who was the asshole who threw the bottle?” Matt asked, rubbing his sore spot.
(10) The fibromas were transmitted by intradermal and subcutaneous inoculation and by rubbing the virus preparation into tattoo sites.
(11) With advancing age, the ATP-induced relaxation in the rubbed rings decreased and was abolished.
(12) In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association describes “frotteurism” as “recurrent, intense, or arousing sexual urges or fantasies, that involve touching and rubbing against a nonconsenting person”.
(13) Rubbed (endothelium-denuded) ring preparations at the age of 4-6 weeks showed a dose-dependent relaxation similar to that of the unrubbed rings.
(14) We found positive reactions in the prick test and rubbing test to the scales of the lizard Egernia cunninghami and others, which the patient kept as house-pets at this time or earlier.
(15) On the contrary, not all country dwellers are Tories; and fat cats, often Tory, will be rubbing their hands at the thought of asset-stripping another national resource.
(16) Ten rubs occurred in patients with pericardial effusion, five of whom had tamponade.
(17) But this will only rub more salt into the wounds at home.
(18) During each scratch cycle, the monoarticular knee extensor muscle is active when the limb rubs against the stimulated site, and there is rhythmic alternation between hip protractor and hip retractor muscle activity (Robertson et al., 1985).
(19) Oscar Pistorius rubs his face as he sits in the dock during his ongoing murder trial at a packed high court in Pretoria on May 5.
(20) Did it actually happen, that run of singles so strange and yet so strong that they rose to the higher reaches of the hit parade, rubbing shoulders with Showaddywaddy and the Nolans on Top of the Pops?