rub

verb (rubs, rubbing, rubbed)

• move one’s hand or a cloth repeatedly back and forth on the surface of (something) with firm pressure:she rubbed her arm, where she had a large bruise [no object]:he rubbed at the dirt on his jeans
• move (one’s hand, a cloth, or another object) back and forth over a surface:he rubbed a finger around the rim of his mug
• (with reference to two things) to move or cause to move to and fro against each other with a certain amount of pressure and friction: [with object]:many insects make noises by rubbing parts of their bodies together [no object]:the ice breaks into small floes that rub against each other
• [no object] (of shoes or other hard items in contact with the skin) cause pain through friction:badly fitting shoes can rub painfully
• make dry, clean, or smooth with pressure from a hand, cloth, or other object:she found a towel and began rubbing her hair she rubbed herself as dry as possible
• spread (ointment, polish, or a substance of similar consistency) over a surface with repeated movements of one’s hand or a cloth:she took out her sunblock and rubbed some on her nose
• (rub something in/into/through) work an ingredient into (a mixture) by breaking and blending it with firm movements of one’s fingers:sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the fat
• reproduce the design of (a gravestone, memorial tablet, etc.) by laying paper on it and rubbing the paper with charcoal, colored chalk, etc..
• [no object] Lawn Bowling (of a bowl) be slowed or diverted by the unevenness of the ground.

noun

• 1 [usually in singular] an act of rubbing:she pulled out a towel and gave her head a quick rub
• an ointment designed to be rubbed on the skin to ease pain:a muscle rub

• 2 (usually the rub) a difficulty, especially one of central importance in a situation:that was the rub—she had not cared enough

  [from Shakespeare's Hamlet ( iii. i. 65)]

• 3 Lawn Bowling an inequality of the ground impeding or diverting a bowl; the diversion or hindering of a bowl by this.