DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Rub v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rubbed p. pr. & vb. n. Rubbing.]
 1. 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.
    It shall be expedient, after that body is cleaned, to rub the body with a coarse linen cloth.   --Sir T. Elyot.
 2. To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.
 3. To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.
    Two bones rubbed hard against one another.   --Arbuthnot.
 4. To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.
 The smoothed plank, . . .
 New rubbed with balm.   --Milton.
 5. To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.
    The whole business of our redemption is to rub over the defaced copy of the creation.   --South.
 6. To hinder; to cross; to thwart. [R.]
 'T is the duke's pleasure,
 Whose disposition, all the world well knows,
 Will not be rubbed nor stopped.   --Shak.
 To rub down. (a) To clean by rubbing; to comb or curry; as, to down a horse. (b) To reduce or remove by rubbing; as, to rub down the rough points.
 To rub off, to clean anything by rubbing; to separate by friction; as, to rub off rust.
 To rub out, to remove or separate by friction; to erase; to obliterate; as, to rub out a mark or letter; to rub out a stain.
 To rub up. (a) To burnish; to polish; to clean. (b) To excite; to awaken; to rouse to action; as, to rub up the memory.