rub shoulders with (someone)
(redirected from rub shoulders with them)rub shoulders
To interact or mingle (with a person or group of people). I don't want to go to the gala tonight, but my wife is eager to rub shoulders with the upper crust. After rubbing shoulders for so long, I was ready to head back home and have some time to myself.
rub shoulders with (someone)
To meet and spend time in a social environment with one who is noteworthy, famous, or important. I heard you were rubbing shoulders with the governor last Saturday. These conferences always have a meet-and-greet portion so you get a chance to rub shoulders with the heads of the tech industry.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
rub shoulders with someone
mainly BRITISHCOMMON If you rub shoulders with someone important or famous, you spend time with them. Johnson had always loved rubbing shoulders with celebrities. Working on a ship can mean seeing the world, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous and partying every night. Note: You can also say that two groups of people rub shoulders. While there may be fewer poor people, the rich are also more visible, and in the cities the two rub shoulders. Note: The usual American expression is rub elbows with someone.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
rub shoulders
associate or come into contact with another person.A US variant of this expression is rub elbows .
1943 Graham Greene The Ministry of Fear It wasn't exactly a criminal world, though eddying along its dim and muted corridors you might possibly rub shoulders with genteel forgers.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
rub ˈshoulders (with somebody)
(American English also rub ˈelbows (with somebody)) (informal) meet and spend time with rich or famous people, socially or as part of your job: I used to rub shoulders with some very wealthy people when I worked in banking.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017