Rub, n. [Cf. W. rhwb. See Rub, v,t,] 1. The act of rubbing; friction.
2. That which rubs; that which tends to hinder or obstruct motion or progress; hindrance; obstruction, an impediment; especially, a difficulty or obstruction hard to overcome; a pinch.
Every rub is smoothed on our way. Shak.
To sleep, perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub. Shak.
Upon this rub, the English ambassadors thought fit to demur. Hayward.
One knows not, certainly, what other rubs might have been ordained for us by a wise Providence. W. Besant.
3. Inequality of surface, as of the ground in the game of bowls; unevenness. Shak.
4. Something grating to the feelings; sarcasm; joke; as, a hard rub.
5. Imperfection; failing; fault. Beau. & Fl.
6. A chance.
Flight shall leave no Greek a rub. Chapman.
7. A stone, commonly flat, used to sharpen cutting tools; a whetstone; — called also rubstone.
Rub iron, an iron guard on a wagon body, against which a wheel rubs when cramped too much.