# rub

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹʌb/ · frequency rank #7,494

## Definitions
1. An act of rubbing.
2. A difficulty or problem.
3. A quip or sarcastic remark.
4. In the game of crown green bowls, any obstacle by which a bowl is diverted from its normal course.
5. Any substance designed to be applied by rubbing.
6. Any substance designed to be applied by rubbing.
7. A loan.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English rubben, of unknown origin; possibly ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rubbōną, related to *reufaną (“to tear”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian rubje (“to rub, scrape”), German Low German rubben (“to rub”), Low German rubblig (“rough, uneven”), Dutch robben, rubben (“to rub smooth; scrape; scrub”), Danish rubbe (“to rub, scrub”), Icelandic and Norwegian rubba (“to scrape”).
More at reave.
Compare typologically Latin fricō < friō < Proto-Indo-European *bʰreyH- (whence also Russian брить (britʹ, “to shave”)).

## Easily confused with
- **RV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rv)
- **RW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rw)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-run)
- **rug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rug)
- **rum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rum)
- **rue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rue)
- **rye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rye)
- **rut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rut)
- **Rus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rus)
- **rule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rule)
- **runs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-runs)
- **rush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rush)
- **ruin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-ruin)
- **rude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rude)
- **ruth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-ruth)
- **ruby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-ruby)
- **rust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rust)
- **Russ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-russ)
- **Rudy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rudy)
- **rudd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rub-vs-rudd)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/rub