scrub — to rub something hard in order to clean it, typically with a brush and water
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to rub something hard in order to clean it, typically with a brush and water
Pronunciation (IPA): /skrʌb/
Example Sentences
- My mom made me scrub the bathroom until it was cleaner than a five-star hotel.
- The surgeon scrubbed his hands for exactly three minutes before the operation.
- I scrubbed so hard trying to remove the stain that I almost scrubbed a hole in my shirt!
scrub
VERB[/skrʌb/]
to rub something hard in order to clean it, typically with a brush and water
Image coming soon
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Middle Dutch 'schrobben', meaning 'to scrape' or 'to rub'. Over time, the sense evolved to emphasize cleaning and abrasive rubbing actions, eventually establishing the modern meaning of vigorous washing or cleaning.
Breakdown
Middle Dutch 'schrobben' (to scrape, rub) → English 'scrub'. The morphological transformation reflects the Germanic sound shift and semantic extension from general scraping actions to specifically cleaning movements.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom made me scrub the bathroom until it was cleaner than a five-star hotel.”
“The surgeon scrubbed his hands for exactly three minutes before the operation.”
“I scrubbed so hard trying to remove the stain that I almost scrubbed a hole in my shirt!”
“The hikers got lost in the thick scrub and had to call for rescue.”
📚Related Words
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.