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.