1. (v. t.) 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.

2. (v. t.) To move over the surface of (a body) with pressure and friction; to graze; to chafe; as, the boat rubs the ground.

3. (v. t.) To cause (a body) to move with pressure and friction along a surface; as, to rub the hand over the body.

4. (v. t.) To spread a substance thinly over; to smear.

5. (v. t.) To scour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with up or over; as, to rub up silver.

6. (v. t.) To hinder; to cross; to thwart.

7. (v. i.) To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.

8. (v. i.) To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.

9. (v. i.) To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods, as huntsmen; to rub through the world.

10. (n.) The act of rubbing; friction.

11. (n.) That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.

12. (n.) Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness.

13. (n.) Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.

14. (n.) Imperfection; failing; fault.

15. (n.) A chance.

16. (n.) A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; -- called also rubstone.

Discordia Eris ablate abrade abrase afflict aggravate agonize ail air-dry anhydrate annoy apple of discord attouchement bake bandage bar bark bathe bite block blockade blot bone of contention bone to pick bother bottleneck breath brush brush by buff burn burnish care for caress casus belli catch catch a likeness chafe character characterize chart clash clashing climacteric clutch come in contact conflict confrication contact contention contingence convergence of events convulse cordon crimp crisis critical juncture critical point crossroads crow to pick crow to pluck crucial period crucify crunch crux cure curtain cut cutaneous sense dehumidify dehydrate delineate depict desiccate determent deterrent diagnose diagram difficulty disaccord disaffinity discord discordance discordancy disharmony distress doctor drain draw drawback dry emergency enmity erase erode evaporate exasperate excoriate excruciate exigency exsiccate extremity feel feel up feeling fester file fingertip caress finish fire flick flux fondle fray frazzle fret frication friction frictionize frottage furbish gall give care to give pain glance glaze gloss gnaw gnaw away grate graze grind gripe grounds for war hamper hand-mindedness hang-up harrow hazard heal hinge hit hit off hitch hurdle hurt impediment impinge impingement impingence incompatibility incompatibleness inflame inflict pain inharmoniousness inharmony insolate irk irritate jangle jar joker kill by inches kiln kiss knead lacerate lambency lap lick light touch limn luster map martyr martyrize massage minister to mischief mummify nettle nip noncooperation nose notate nudge nurse nuzzle objection obstacle obstruction obstructive one small difficulty open conflict operate on osculate osculation pain paint parch pass peeve perfrication pet physic picture picturize pierce pinch plaster polish portray poultice prick print prolong the agony provoke purge push put to torture rack rankle rasp raze register remedy render represent rile rub against rub away rub down rub noses rub off rub out rubbing ruffle schematize scorch scour scrape scrub scuff sear sense of touch shave shine shrivel sideswipe skim skin skirt sleek