rub up on

rub up on

1. Literally, to rub against someone or something in an intense or persistent manner. The girl I started dating has a dog that rubs up on me whenever I go over to her house. The elephant started rubbing up on our jeep, making me nervous that it would tip us over.

2. To refamiliarize oneself with or stimulate one's memory about a topic or issue. I need to rub up on factorials before attempting to teach them on Monday. I'm spending the weekend rubbing up on Japanese before we fly to Tokyo on Monday.

See also: on, rub, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

rub up on

Refresh one's knowledge, as in I must rub up on my French before we leave for Paris. [Second half of 1700s] Also see brush up, def. 2.

See also: on, rub, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

rub up on

To refresh one's knowledge of: I have to rub up on my French.

See also: on, rub, up

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.