rub

v

1. massage, knead, embrocate; stroke, caress, fondle, pet, pat, palm; brush, graze; (all of horses) curry, currycomb, groom.

2. polish, buff, burnish, rub down, smooth; abrade, chafe, levigate, triturate; scour, scrub.

3.Often rub off or out

erase, wipe off, blot out, dissolve, eradicate; expunge, obliterate, wipe out; cancel, delete.

4. rub out

Slang. destroy, do away with, extirpate, exterminate; kill, execute, slaughter, slay. See murder(defs. 4-6).

n

5. friction, rubbing against, rubbing down, massage, massaging, kneading, embrocation; stroke, stroking, caress, caressing, fondling, petting, patting, palming; (all of horses) currying, currycombing, grooming.

6. polishing, buffing, burnishing, smoothing; abrasion, abrading, chafing, grating, rasping; scour, scouring, srub, scrubbing.

7. irritation, aggravation, annoyance, nuisance, chafe, bother, pest, vexation, torment, pain in the neck; hurt, wound, sting, pain; animadversion, criticism, castigation, reproof, reproach, rebuke, scolding; derision, sneer, sarcasm, insult, slight, cut, left-handed compliment, blow to one's pride; gibe, jeer, taunt; affliction, jinx, adversity, plague, scourge.

8. tribulation, trial, botheration; predicament, position, situation, circumstance, plight, fix, pinch, scrape, pickle, stew, mess; mishap, emergency, exigency.

9. obstacle, obstruction, barrier, bar, interference; delay, holdup, hitch; impediment, hindrance, setback, check; difficulty, trouble, problem.

10. abrasion, scrape, scratch, scuff, graze, sore; erosion, fray, Inf. frazzle.