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Rub up

noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative form of rub-up. alt-of, alternative
  2. 2
    a review that refreshes your memory wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To polish or scrub; to cover (something with a substance) by rubbing. transitive

    "I rubbed up the brass buttons on my jacket to make them shine."

  2. 2
    To rub (a body part): to massage, give a massage to. transitive

    "[…] every Morning when you Comb your head, dip a sponge in this water and rub up your Hair, and it will keep it clean and preserve it,"

  3. 3
    To create (something) by rubbing. transitive

    "to rub up a lather"

  4. 4
    To revive one's knowledge of (something); to renew (a skill). ambitransitive, dated, informal

    "I muſt rub up my balancing, and chaſing, and boring."

  5. 5
    To assault (someone). US, slang, transitive

    "There was a lot of yelling and gesticulating, and a few blows were passed. A couple of guards got rubbed up a little."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    To reduce (something) to a powder or paste using friction (with a mortar and pestle, for example); to mix (with something) using friction. obsolete, transitive

    "to rub up pigments with water or oil"

  2. 7
    To excite or awaken (something); to revive or reawaken (something). obsolete, transitive

    "to rub up the memory; to rub up old sores"

See also for "rub up"

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