What does scrub mean?

Definitions for scrub
skrʌbscrub

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word scrub.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. scrub, chaparral, bushnoun

    dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes

  2. scrub, scrubbing, scouringadjective

    the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water

  3. scrubverb

    (of domestic animals) not selectively bred

  4. scrub, scourverb

    clean with hard rubbing

    "She scrubbed his back"

  5. scrub, scrub upverb

    wash thoroughly

    "surgeons must scrub prior to an operation"

  6. cancel, call off, scratch, scrubverb

    postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled

    "Call off the engagement"; "cancel the dinner party"; "we had to scrub our vacation plans"; "scratch that meeting--the chair is ill"

Wiktionary

  1. scrubnoun

    One who labors hard and lives meanly; a mean fellow.

    We should go there in as proper a manner possible; nor altogether like the scrubs about us.

  2. scrubnoun

    One who is a freak or unable to complete easy tasks.

    You are such a scrub! Instead of washing the dishes you put the used food on your face!

  3. scrub

    A thicket or jungle, often specified by the name of the prevailing plant; as, oak scrub, palmetto scrub, etc.

  4. scrub

    One of the common livestock of a region of no particular breed or not of pure breed, especially when inferior in size, etc. Often used to refer to male animals unsuited for breeding.

  5. scrub

    Vegetation of inferior quality, though sometimes thick and impenetrable, growing in poor soil or in sand; also, brush.

  6. scrub

    One who is no longer new to a game but still exhibits novice tendencies.

    "What a scrub."

  7. scrub

    One not on the first team of players, a substitute.

  8. scrubnoun

    An instance of scrubbing.

  9. scrubnoun

    A cancellation.

  10. scrub

    A worn-out brush.

  11. scrub

    One who scrubs.

  12. scrub

    Clothing worn while performing surgery.

  13. scrubverb

    To rub hard; to wash with rubbing; usually, to rub with a wet brush, or with something coarse or rough, for the purpose of cleaning or brightening; as, to scrub a floor, a doorplate.

  14. scrubverb

    To rub anything hard, especially with a wet brush; to scour;

  15. scrub

    To be diligent and penurious; as, to scrub hard for a living.

  16. scrub

    To call off a scheduled event; to cancel.

    Engineers had to scrub the satellite launch due to bad weather.

  17. scrub

    To eliminate or to correct data from a set of records to bring it inline with other similar datasets

    The street segment data from the National Post Office will need to be scrubbed before it can be integrated into our system.

  18. scrubadjective

    Mean; dirty; contemptible; scrubby.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Scrubnoun

    Etymology: from the verb.

    With a dozen large vessels my vault shall be stor’d;
    No little scrub joint shall come on my board. Jonathan Swift.

  2. To SCRUBverb

    To rub hard with something coarse and rough.

    Etymology: schrobben, Dutch.

    Such wrinkles as a skilful hand would draw
    For an old grandam ape, when, with a grace,
    She sits at squat, and scrubs her leathern face. Dryden.

    She never would lay aside the use of brooms and scrubbing brushes. Arbuthnot.

    Now Moll had whirl’d her mop with dext’rous airs,
    Prepar’d to scrub the entry and the stairs. Jonathan Swift.

ChatGPT

  1. scrub

    1. Scrub refers to the act of cleaning something thoroughly by rubbing it hard with a brush, soap, or specific cleaning substance. 2. In botany, the term scrub refers to vegetation consisting mainly of shrubs and small trees. 3. In medical terms, a scrub is a person, such as a surgeon or nurse, who participates in a surgical operation while maintaining a sterile environment. 4. In popular slang, a scrub can refer to a person who is regarded as inferior, insignificant, or contemptible. 5. In sports, a scrub can refer to a player who is not among the best or most skilled.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Scrubverb

    to rub hard; to wash with rubbing; usually, to rub with a wet brush, or with something coarse or rough, for the purpose of cleaning or brightening; as, to scrub a floor, a doorplate

  2. Scrubverb

    to rub anything hard, especially with a wet brush; to scour; hence, to be diligent and penurious; as, to scrub hard for a living

  3. Scrubnoun

    one who labors hard and lives meanly; a mean fellow

  4. Scrubnoun

    something small and mean

  5. Scrubnoun

    a worn-out brush

  6. Scrubnoun

    a thicket or jungle, often specified by the name of the prevailing plant; as, oak scrub, palmetto scrub, etc

  7. Scrubnoun

    one of the common live stock of a region of no particular breed or not of pure breed, esp. when inferior in size, etc

  8. Scrubadjective

    mean; dirty; contemptible; scrubby

  9. Etymology: [OE. scrobben, probably of Dutch or Scand. origin; cf. Dan. skrubbe, Sw. skrubba, D. schrobben, LG. schrubben.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Scrub

    skrub, v.t.. to rub hard, esp. with something rough.—v.i. to be laborious and penurious:—pr.p. scrub′bing; pa.t. and pa.p. scrubbed.—n. one who works hard and lives meanly: anything small or mean: a worn-out brush: low underwood: a bush: a stunted shrub: a worthless horse.—p.adj. Scrubbed (Shak.)=Scrubby.—ns. Scrub′ber, in Australia, an animal which breaks away from the herd: a machine for washing leather after the tanpit; Scrub′bing; Scrub′bing-board, a wash-board; Scrub′bing-brush, a brush with short, stiff bristles; Scrub′-bird, an Australian bird.—adj. Scrub′by, laborious and penurious: mean: small: stunted in growth: covered with scrub.—ns. Scrub′-grass, the scouring-rush; Scrub′-oak, a name of three low American oaks; Scrub′-rid′er, one who rides in search of cattle that stray from the herd into the scrub; Scrub′-rob′in, a bird inhabiting the Australian scrub; Scrub′stone, a species of calciferous sandstone; Scrub′-tur′key, a mound-bird; Scrub′-wood, a small tree. [A.S. scrob, a shrub.]

Rap Dictionary

  1. scrubnoun

    Someone that is broke. A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly and is also known as a buster -- TLC (No Scrubs (LP Version))

Matched Categories

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of scrub in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of scrub in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of scrub in a Sentence

  1. Dallas County:

    He was put in the suspended ineligible list. There was human error, and that list was moved over to get the people who were under 50 onto the eligible list. They failed to scrub for people who were under 18.

  2. White House spokesman Eric Schultz:

    That is why he has asked his team to scrub existing legal authorities to see if there's any additional action we can take administratively, the president has made clear he's not satisfied with where we are and expects that work to be completed soon.

  3. Kenneth Gamble:

    Even if she was disrupting the class, I don’t think it was worth going three hours or more scrubbing the floor for talking, i don’t appreciate you having my child scrub a floor with a toothbrush. I’m pretty sure she doesn'tscrub her own floor with a toothbrush. The Polk County School District told Fox News in a statement it was deeply concerned about the allegations, and said it's opened a formal investigation into the alleged incident. Florida's Department of Children and Families and police are also investigating, according to the district. Our schools are required to follow a Code of Student Conduct; it is expected that all disciplinary measures be handled in a manner that is respectful to the student and preserves their dignity, the statement read. If true, the allegations described at Lake Alfred Elementary are completely unacceptable.

  4. Tristan Zier:

    At Exec, he was willing to scrub toilets for clients. At Cruise, he was willing to go out on mapping car runs in the middle of the night. He's a hard worker through and through, he's got the grit required for early stage startups.

  5. Alisa Statman:

    He said that the one thing that brought him to his knees literally-- in grief -- was having to scrub his child's blood off the floor.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

scrub#10000#15888#100000

Translations for scrub

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • تنظيفArabic
  • drhnoutCzech
  • scheuern, GestrüppGerman
  • estregar, fregar, tallar, restregarSpanish
  • مالش دادنPersian
  • jyystää, jynssääjä, pusikko, puska, tiheikkö, peruuttaa, perua, jynssätä, kuurata, puurtaa, pensaikko, pöheikkö, jynssäys, asuFinnish
  • annuler, crosserFrench
  • मलनाHindi
  • sikálHungarian
  • annullare, sfregare, strofinare, disdireItalian
  • スクラブJapanese
  • mōheuheu, taekai, tahuere, ururua, ūkui, kōmukumukuMāori
  • schrobbenDutch
  • skrubbeNorwegian
  • odwołaćPolish
  • esfregarPortuguese
  • скрести́, куста́рник, скраб, ничто́жество, замо́рыш, дра́итьRussian
  • స్క్రబ్Telugu
  • schurer, kifroyî, cafroter, rischurerWalloon
  • 擦洗Chinese

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"scrub." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/scrub>.

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    either of two different animal or plant species living in close association but not interdependent
    A commensal
    B sesquipedalian
    C motile
    D bristly

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