rubber - What does it mean?
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Definition of 'rubber'Etymology 1
The substance was originally named for its ability to function as an eraser. The senses not having to do with rubbing or erasing are secondarily derived from the name of the substance.
Noun
( en-noun)
(uncountable) Pliable material derived from the sap of the rubber tree; a hydrocarbon polymer of isoprene.
(uncountable|countable) Synthetic materials with the same properties as natural rubber.
(countable|UK) An eraser.
* 2006 , Lisa Kervin, Research for Educators , page 148 ,
- For example, they may use paddle pop sticks, hand span, pencils, rubbers , mathematics equipment (i.e. base 10 material) or anything else the teacher can find to measure the lengths of nominated objects.
* 2010 , Anna Jacobs, Beyond the Sunset , unnumbered page ,
- Drawing materials,'' he thought, ''I used to love drawing as a lad. I can afford some plain paper and pencils, surely? And a rubber''', too.'' He smiled at the memory of an elderly uncle, also fond of drawing, who?d always called ' rubbers ‘lead eaters’.
* 2011 , Patrick Lindsay, The Spirit of the Digger , Revised edition, unnumbered page ,
- Stan stole a diary and some pens, pencils, ink and rubbers during his early days as a POW working on the Singapore docks.
(countable|North America|slang) A condom.
Not covered by funds on account.
(countable) Someone or something which rubs.
* 1949 , LIFE (11 July 1949, page 21)
- What perplexity plagues the chin-rubber in the foreground and what so discourages the man leaning on the lamp post? And to what doom is the large man at right moving? Photographer Cowherd has no answers.
(countable|baseball) The rectangular pad on the pitcher's mound from which the pitcher must pitch.
- Jones toes the rubber and then fires to the plate.
(North America|in the plural) Water resistant shoe covers, galoshes, overshoes.
- Johnny, don't forget your rubbers today.
(uncountable|slang) Tires, particularly racing tires.
- Jones enters the pits to get new rubber .
Synonyms
* (condom) see .
Derived terms
* rubber band
* rubber bullet
* rubberize
* rubber johnny
( rel-mid3)
* rubber jungle
* rubber plant
* rubber policeman
* rubber room
( rel-mid3)
* rubber tree
* rubbery
( rel-bottom)
Etymology 2
Origin unknown.
Noun
( en-noun)
(sports) A series of an odd number of games or matches of which a majority must be won (thus precluding a tie), especially a match consisting of the best of a series of three games in bridge or whist.
* 1907 May 25, in The Publishers' Weekly , number 1843, page 1608 [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZCADAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22her%20grand-aunt%22&pg=PA1608#v=onepage&q=%22her%20grand-aunt%22&f=false]:
- an old lady's innocent rubber .
(sports) A game or match played to break a tie.
The game of rubber bridge.
-
- "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber'. It is the first Saturday night for seven-and-twenty years that I have not had my ' rubber ." "I think you will find that you will play for a higher stake to-night than you have ever done yet, and that the play will be more exciting."
See also
* burn rubber
* dead rubber
Etymology 3
Similar to 'rubber'river, robber, reaper, reaver, rapper, raver, reefer, ripper, repair, refer, rapier, rebar, roofer, rover, riper, roper, raper, ravier, ribber, rifer, reoffer, riffier, rebear, ropier, reifier, repayer, repour, rever, reiver, ruffer, rebuyer, revver, repower
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