Rub meanings in Italian

strofinare

Example:

Rub the table with a cloth.

Strofina il tavolo con un panno.

Rub your hands together to warm them up.

Strofina le mani insieme per scaldarle.

Usage: formale/informaleContext: This meaning is used in everyday conversations and formal writing.

Note: The verb 'strofinare' is commonly used to express the action of rubbing or scrubbing something.

massaggiare

Example:

She rubbed his shoulders to help him relax.

Lei ha massaggiato le spalle per aiutarlo a rilassarsi.

Rub the cream into your skin gently.

Massaggia delicatamente la crema sulla pelle.

Usage: formale/informaleContext: This meaning is often used in the context of massage or skincare.

Note: In Italian, 'massaggiare' is used to convey the action of massaging or rubbing for therapeutic or cosmetic purposes.

sfregare

Example:

The cat rubbed against my leg.

Il gatto si è sfregato contro la mia gamba.

Rub the stain with a sponge and detergent.

Sfrega la macchia con una spugna e del detersivo.

Usage: formale/informaleContext: This meaning is commonly used to describe actions like rubbing against something or scrubbing a surface.

Note: When 'rub' is used in the sense of 'sfregare,' it implies a physical contact or friction between two surfaces.

grattare

Example:

She rubbed her nails on the blackboard.

Lei ha grattato le unghie sulla lavagna.

Rub the itch with your fingers.

Gratta il prurito con le dita.

Usage: informaleContext: This meaning is often used informally to describe actions involving scratching or scraping.

Note: In informal contexts, 'rub' can be translated as 'grattare' when referring to actions like scratching an itch or scraping a surface.

massage

To massage means to apply pressure or knead with the hands to relieve tension or pain in the body. It is a more gentle and therapeutic action compared to simply rubbing.

Example: She massaged her sore muscles after a long workout.

Note: Massage involves more deliberate and focused movements for therapeutic purposes.

scrub

To scrub means to clean or rub something hard with a brush or a rough material to remove dirt or stains. It implies a more vigorous and thorough action than just rubbing.

Example: She scrubbed the floor until it was sparkling clean.

Note: Scrubbing involves a more intensive and forceful action to clean or remove dirt.

polish

To polish means to make something smooth and shiny by rubbing or buffing. It often involves using a polishing agent or cloth to enhance the appearance of an object.

Example: He polished his shoes until they gleamed.

Note: Polishing focuses on making something smooth and shiny, often using specific products or techniques.

Rub shoulders with

To spend time with or be in the company of someone who is important or famous.

Example: I had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some industry leaders at the conference.

Note: This phrase uses 'rub' metaphorically to mean being in close contact or association with someone.

Rub someone the wrong way

To annoy or irritate someone.

Example: His sarcastic comments always rub me the wrong way.

Note: In this idiom, 'rub' is used to convey causing discomfort or annoyance.

Rub it in

To keep reminding someone of their mistake or failure in a way that is annoying or hurtful.

Example: I know I made a mistake, you don't have to keep rubbing it in.

Note: Here, 'rub' is used to emphasize the action of making someone feel bad about something they did.

Rub salt in the wound

To make a painful situation even more painful for someone.

Example: Bringing up her failed relationship was like rubbing salt in the wound.

Note: Similar to 'rub it in,' this idiom intensifies the pain or discomfort felt by someone.

Rub elbows with

To associate or mingle with important or influential people.

Example: As a journalist, I get to rub elbows with politicians and celebrities.

Note: This phrase is similar to 'rub shoulders with' and uses 'rub' to indicate close interaction or connection.

Rub the wrong way

To annoy or irritate someone.

Example: His condescending attitude always rubs me the wrong way.

Note: Similar to 'rub someone the wrong way,' this idiom conveys causing irritation or discomfort.

Rub up against

To come into conflict or opposition with something.

Example: The new policy rubs up against our established procedures.

Note: In this phrase, 'rub' implies encountering friction or disagreement with existing practices or rules.

Rubber

In British English, 'rubber' refers to an eraser used for removing pencil marks. This term can cause confusion for American English speakers who associate 'rubber' with a different meaning.

Example: I need to get a new rubber for my pencil.

Note: The original word 'rub' refers to applying pressure in a back-and-forth motion, while 'rubber' is a specific term for an eraser.

Rubberneck

'Rubberneck' means to turn one's head to stare at something of interest or something unusual, often causing a traffic jam. This term is commonly used to describe drivers who slow down to look at accidents or other incidents.

Example: Don't rubberneck at the accident scene; it's disrespectful.

Note: The original word 'rub' involves applying pressure, while 'rubberneck' refers to turning one's neck to look.

Rubber room

In the educational context, 'rubber room' refers to a place where disruptive or problematic students are isolated or disciplined.

Example: The disruptive student was sent to the rubber room for detention.

Note: The original word 'rub' involves applying pressure, while 'rubber room' refers to a specific location for handling disciplinary issues.

Rubbing elbows

To 'rub elbows' means to mingle or associate closely with someone, especially someone influential or well-known.

Example: At the conference, I was rubbing elbows with some influential industry leaders.

Note: The original word 'rub' means to apply pressure, while 'rubbing elbows' refers to socializing or networking with others.

Rubber check

A 'rubber check' is a check that bounces due to insufficient funds in the account. It's a metaphorical term denoting a check that is not backed by real money.

Example: His promise to invest was just a rubber check; it bounced when I tried to cash it.

Note: The original word 'rub' involves applying pressure, while 'rubber check' refers to a bounced or invalid check.

I rubbed my eyes when I woke up.

Mi sono stropicciato gli occhi quando mi sono svegliato.

The cat rubbed against my leg.

Il gatto si è strofinato contro la mia gamba.

There was a lot of friction and rubbing between the two surfaces.

C'era molta attrito e sfregamento tra le due superfici.

Rub - Verb (Verb) / Verb, base form (Verb, base form)

Lemma: rub

Conjugations

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): rub

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): rubbed

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): rubbing

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): rubs

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): rub

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): rub

Syllabification and Stress

rub Contains 1 syllables: rub

Phonetic transcription: ˈrəb

rub , ˈrəb (The red syllable is stressed)

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

rub: 700 - 800 (Extremely common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Rub