11 PHRASE If you rub someone up the wrong way in British English, or rub someone the wrong way in American English, you offend or annoy them without intending to. [INFORMAL ] □ What are you going to get out of him if you rub him up the wrong way?
12 to rub someone's nose in it → see nose
13 to rub salt into the wound → see salt
▸ rub down PHRASAL VERB If you rub down a rough surface, you make it smooth by rubbing it with something such as sandpaper. [Also V n P ]
▸ rub in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you rub a substance in , you press it into something by continuously moving it over its surface. □ [V P n] When hair is dry, rub in a little oil to make it smooth and glossy. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone keeps reminding you of something you would rather forget you can say that they are rubbing it in . □ [V n P ] Officials couldn't resist rubbing it in. □ [V P n] The home side rubbed in their superiority with a further goal.
▸ rub off PHRASAL VERB If someone's qualities or habits rub off on you, you develop some of their qualities or habits after spending time with them. □ [V P + on ] He was a tremendously enthusiastic teacher and that rubbed off on all the children. □ [V P ] I was hoping some of his genius might rub off.
▸ rub out PHRASAL VERB If you rub out something that you have written on paper or a board, you remove it using a rubber or eraser. □ [V P n] She began rubbing out the pencilled marks in the margin. [Also V n P ]
rub|ber /rʌ bə r / (rubbers )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rubber is a strong, waterproof, elastic substance made from the juice of a tropical tree or produced chemically. It is used for making tyres, boots, and other products. □ …the smell of burning rubber.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rubber things are made of rubber. □ …rubber gloves.
3 N‑COUNT A rubber is a small piece of rubber or other material that is used to remove mistakes that you have made while writing or drawing. [BRIT ] in AM, use eraser 4 N‑COUNT A rubber is a condom. [AM , INFORMAL ]
ru b|ber ba nd (rubber bands ) N‑COUNT A rubber band is a thin circle of very elastic rubber. You put it around things such as papers in order to keep them together.
ru b|ber boo t (rubber boots ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rubber boots are long boots made of rubber that you wear to keep your feet dry. [AM ] in BRIT, use wellington
ru b|ber bu l|let (rubber bullets ) N‑COUNT A rubber bullet is a bullet made of a metal ball coated with rubber. It is intended to injure people rather than kill them, and is used by police or soldiers to control crowds during a riot. □ Rubber bullets were used to break up the demonstration.
rubber|neck /rʌ bə r nek/ (rubbernecks , rubbernecking , rubbernecked ) also rubber-neck VERB If someone is rubbernecking , they are staring at someone or something, especially in a rude or silly way. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V ] The accident was caused by people slowing down to rubber-neck. ● rubber|necker (rubberneckers ) N‑COUNT □ Pitt planted tall trees outside his home to block rubberneckers.
ru b|ber plant (rubber plants ) N‑COUNT A rubber plant is a type of plant with shiny leaves. It grows naturally in Asia but is also grown as a house plant in other parts of the world.
ru b|ber sta mp (rubber stamps , rubber stamping , rubber stamped ) also rubber-stamp
1 N‑COUNT A rubber stamp is a small device with a name, date, or symbol on it. You press it on to an ink pad and then on to a document in order to show that the document has been officially dealt with. □ In Post Offices, virtually every document that's passed across the counter is stamped with a rubber stamp.
2 VERB When someone in authority rubber-stamps a decision, plan, or law, they agree to it without thinking about it much. □ [V n] Parliament's job is to rubber-stamp his decisions.
rub|bery /rʌ bəri/
1 ADJ Something that is rubbery looks or feels soft or elastic like rubber. □ The mask is left on for about 15 minutes while it sets to a rubbery texture.
2 ADJ Food such as meat that is rubbery is difficult to chew.
rub|bing /rʌ b I ŋ/ (rubbings )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A rubbing is a picture that you make by putting a piece of paper over a carved surface and then rubbing wax or chalk over it. □ …a brass rubbing.
2 → see also rub
ru b|bing a l|co|hol N‑UNCOUNT Rubbing alcohol is a liquid which is used to clean wounds or surgical instruments. [AM ] in BRIT, use surgical spirit
rub|bish /rʌ b I ʃ/ (rubbishes , rubbishing , rubbished )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rubbish consists of unwanted things or waste material such as used paper, empty tins and bottles, and waste food. [mainly BRIT ] □ …unwanted household rubbish. in AM, usually use garbage , trash 2 N‑UNCOUNT If you think that something is of very poor quality, you can say that it is rubbish . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He described her book as absolute rubbish.
3 N‑UNCOUNT If you think that an idea or a statement is foolish or wrong, you can say that it is rubbish . [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He's talking rubbish. □ These reports are total and utter rubbish.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you think that someone is not very good at something, you can say that they are rubbish at it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ at ] He was rubbish at his job. □ I tried playing golf, but I was rubbish.