Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

rub out

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.97 in modern English

Syllables: rub out
IPA

8

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To delete or erase or remove (something) by rubbing, especially with a rubber (eraser).

Transitive verb

verb

To get by; to live.

Obsolete

verb

To kill, especially to murder.

Slang; Transitive verb

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rub, out.

Example Sentences

"The teacher wanted to rub out the chalk marks on the blackboard."
"The first will understand but little of them, the latter over much; they might perhaps live and rub out in the middle region."
"It was just a week to the day since Mr. Martin had decided to rub out Mrs. Ulgine Barrows."
"'Mr Grimaldi,' fills in Smoke, 'what I believe Fay has too much tact to spit out and say is this: the Rey woman might be imagining we rubbed out Dr Sixsmith.'"

Usage

Inflected Forms

rubs out (present, singular) rubbing out (participle, present) rubbed out (participle, past) rubbed out (past)

Derived Forms

rubout

Phrases

rub one out

Frequently Paired Words

rub off

Synonyms

annihilate bag baptize bereave of life blight bring down bump off bury cack compromised to a permanent end croak crush

Questions

What does rub out mean?: To delete or erase or remove (something) by rubbing, especially with a rubber (eraser).

How to pronounce rub out

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “rub out”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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