scrub

scrub
{{11}}scrub (n.) "brush, shrubs," late 14c., "low, stunted tree," variant of shrobbe (see SHRUB (Cf. shrub)), perhaps influenced by a Scandinavian word (Cf. Danish dialectal skrub "a stunted tree, brushwood"). Collective sense is attested from 1805. Transferred sense of "mean, insignificant fellow" is from 1580s; U.S. sports meaning "athlete not on the varsity team" is recorded from 1892.
{{12}}scrub (v.) "rub hard," c.1300, perhaps from M.Du. or M.L.G. schrubben "to scrub," or from an unrecorded O.E. cognate, or from a Scandinavian source (Cf. Dan. skrubbe "to scrub"), probably ultimately from some cognate of SHRUB (Cf. shrub), used as a cleaning tool (Cf. the evolution of BROOM (Cf. broom), BRUSH (Cf. brush) (n.1)). Meaning "to cancel" is attested from 1828 (popularized during World War II with reference to flights), probably from notion of "to rub out, erase." Related: Scrubbed; scrubbing. The noun meaning "act of scrubbing" is recorded from 1620s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Scrub — (skr[u^]b), n. 1. One who labors hard and lives meanly; a mean fellow. A sorry scrub. Bunyan. [1913 Webster] We should go there in as proper a manner as possible; nor altogether like the scrubs about us. Goldsmith. [1913 Webster] 2. Something… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scrub — [ skrɶb ] n. m. • 1900; mot angl. ♦ Anglic. Géogr. Brousse épaisse d Australie, formée de buissons. ● scrub nom masculin (anglais scrub) Brousse épaisse d Australie, formée de buissons toujours verts, de familles diverses, notamment des acacias.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Scrub — (skr[u^]b), a. Mean; dirty; contemptible; scrubby. [1913 Webster] How solitary, how scrub, does this town look! Walpole. [1913 Webster] No little scrub joint shall come on my board. Swift. [1913 Webster] {Scrub game}, a game, as of ball, by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scrub — 〈[skrʌ̣b] m. 6〉 Strauchformation aus immergrünen, oft undurchdringlich dichten, hartlaubigen Dornbüschen in den austral. Trockengebieten [engl., „Gebüsch, Busch(land)“] * * * Scrub   [skrʌb; englisch »Gebüsch«] der, (s)/ s, Bezeichnung für… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Scrub — Scrub(s) may refer to: *Scrub, low shrub and grass characteristic of scrubland *Scrubs (clothing), worn by medical staff *Scrubs (occupation) or surgical technologist * Scrubs (TV series), an American television program *Scrub baseball, also… …   Wikipedia

  • scrub — skrəb vb, scrubbed; scrub·bing vt to clean and disinfect (the hands and forearms) before participating in surgery vi to prepare for surgery by scrubbing oneself scrub n 1) an act or instance of scrubbing <a surgical scrub> 2) …   Medical dictionary

  • scrub — s.n. Fitocenoză caracteristică Australiei centrale, în care predomină tufişuri xerofite (xerofit) şi, rar, eucalipţi. [< engl. scrub]. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DN  SCRUB s. n. brusă din Australia centrală cu tufărişuri… …   Dicționar Român

  • scrub — scrub·ba·ble; scrub; scrub·by; scrub·ber; …   English syllables

  • scrub in — ˌscrub ˈup ˌscrub ˈin mainly american [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they scrub up he/she/it scrubs up …   Useful english dictionary

  • Scrub — (skr[u^]b), v. i. To rub anything hard, especially with a wet brush; to scour; hence, to be diligent and penurious; as, to scrub hard for a living. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scrub — (skr[u^]b), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Scrubbed} (skr[u^]bd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Scrubbing}.] [OE. scrobben, probably of Dutch or Scand. origin; cf. Dan. skrubbe, Sw. skrubba, D. schrobben, LG. schrubben.] To rub hard; to wash with rubbing; usually, to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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