rubbing

Everyday

1. Rubbing means moving your hand or something against a surface again and again, pressing on it. tree →
2. Rubbing out means removing pencil marks with a rubber or eraser. tree →
3. A rubbing is a picture made by putting paper on a rough surface and rubbing it with a crayon (a bark rubbing, a coin rubbing). tree →

In the lessons

In science, rubbing creates friction, which makes heat (rub your hands to warm them) and can make static electricity (rub a balloon on your hair). In art lessons: leaf and bark rubbings. In health: rubbing your eyes can spread germs; rubbing on sun cream protects skin. Phrases: rubbing your hands, rubbing out, rubbing it in (reminding someone of a mistake).

Examples

• I am rubbing my hands to keep them warm. tree →
• She is rubbing out the wrong answer. tree →
• Rubbing a balloon on your hair makes it stick to the wall. tree →
• We made bark rubbings with crayons. tree →
• Stop rubbing your eyes. tree →
• Rubbing two sticks together can make fire. tree →
• The cat is rubbing against my legs. tree →
• I know I lost, don't keep rubbing it in! tree →
• Rubbing his hands together happily, he mumbled half to himself: tree →

Note

Double b: rubbing. In British English a «rubber» is an eraser; in American English «rubber» can mean something else, so «eraser» is safer. Friction from rubbing always makes some heat.