rub up
To make something shiny by rubbing it, or to quickly review something you've forgotten.
Meanings
To clean or polish a surface by rubbing it vigorously.
"She rubbed up the old silver candlesticks until they gleamed."
To revise or refresh one's knowledge or skills in a subject.
"I need to rub up my French before the trip to Paris."
In the fixed phrase 'rub someone up the wrong way': to irritate or annoy someone by behaving in a way they find unpleasant.
"He always manages to rub people up the wrong way without even trying."
The polishing sense is literal and straightforward. The 'revise/refresh' sense is informal and less common than 'brush up'. The fixed phrase 'rub someone up the wrong way' (to irritate someone) is a separate idiom and should not be confused with this entry. Common in British English.
Commonly used with
Forms
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