rub
/rʌb/ (bre, ipa) · /rʌb/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈrəb/ (ame, mw)
rub — verb
- rubpresent simple I / you / we / they
- rubshe / she / it
- rubbedpast simple
- rubbing-ing form
1. to press something — your fingers, a piece of fabric, or another object — agains
to press something — your fingers, a piece of fabric, or another object — against a surface and move it back and forth or in circles, often to clean it, dry it, apply a substance, or soothe a sore area.
Haruto rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand after studying all night.
rub + body part to relieve tiredness
The neighbour's cat rubbed against Tara's legs and purred loudly for attention.
intransitive: rub against + person
Kwame rubbed sun cream onto his shoulders before heading to the beach.
Élise rubbed the silver spoon with a soft cloth until it shone brightly.
The rough label on Ilan's shirt rubbed against his neck and left a red mark.
- stroke
gentle movement without pressure, typically to show affection
文法句型
rub + object
rub + object + against/on + surface
rub + object + adjective (clean/dry/smooth)
rub + object + with + substance
rub + against + surface
用法筆記
When the rubbing causes damage or pain (example 5), the verb is typically intransitive and the subject is the object causing the irritation, not the person.
常見錯誤
rub — noun
- rubsingular
- rubsplural
1. a short action in which you press and move your hand, a cloth, or a brush over a
a short action in which you press and move your hand, a cloth, or a brush over a surface or part of your body, especially to clean, dry, or soothe it.
Tara gave the kitchen table a quick rub with a damp cloth after dinner.
collocation: give + noun + a rub
Mauricio's mother said that a gentle rub on his back helped him fall asleep.
After the long walk, Indra gave her sore feet a firm rub with her hands.
A quick rub of his shoes with a brush made them look almost new again.
文法句型
give + noun + a rub
a rub + of/on/with
2. a dry blend of spices, herbs, and often sugar that you press onto the outside of
a dry blend of spices, herbs, and often sugar that you press onto the outside of meat, fish, or vegetables before cooking them to give extra flavour.
Karim prepared a spicy rub with paprika and garlic powder for the chicken.
The recipe called for a dry rub that included brown sugar and black pepper.
dry rub: a spice mixture without liquid
Wren bought a pre-made barbecue rub from the market for the weekend cookout.
Nikhil coated the pork shoulder with spice rub and left it in the fridge overnight.
- seasoning
broader term that includes any mixture added for flavour, not just dry ones
- marinade
a liquid mixture for soaking food, opposite of a dry rub
文法句型
spice / dry / barbecue rub
rub for + food type
用法筆記
A 'rub' is always dry (powdered or granular), unlike a 'marinade' which is a liquid. The word is most common in American and Australian barbecue cooking.
3. a hidden problem or difficulty that spoils an otherwise attractive situation or
a hidden problem or difficulty that spoils an otherwise attractive situation or makes something less simple than it first appears.
The job seemed perfect, but there was a rub — the salary was lower than hoped.
expression: there was a rub
Everyone liked the plan, but the rub came when they saw the total cost.
Christopher agreed to help, but the rub was that he expected something in return.
The apartment looked wonderful, and the rub only became clear after she signed the contract.
- advantage
a benefit or plus point
文法句型
there's the rub
the rub is/was that...
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the fixed expression 'there's the rub' (from Shakespeare's Hamlet) or the pattern 'the rub is/was that...'. It is not used freely as a regular countable noun — you would not say 'there are several rubs'.