to scrub off
- phrasal verb
- /skrʌb ɔf/
- Bending forward, I try to scrub off my mascara with my balled-up paper towel.
- scrub off any dirt
- try to scrub off
I, I talked to dozens of Park Rangers whose main job now is to get up and just scrub off the filth, scrub off the graffiti, clean it up.
- I, I talked to dozens of Park Rangers whose main job now is to get up and just scrub off the filth, scrub off the graffiti, clean it up.
Examples
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I, I talked to dozens of Park Rangers whose main job now is to get up and just scrub off the filth, scrub off the graffiti, clean it up.
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I'm going to use this to like scrub off the wall and we're going to see how this works.
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And so they use this dry sand to scrub off their, you know, dirty dishes.
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The undertaker pours water from a bowl and scrubs off the blood.
Fiction book (1995) -
It still excites me when I've scrubbed off the dirt and all that remains is the polishing.
Fiction book (2002) -
After a long day at work, she decided to scrub off the dirt from her shoes before entering the house.
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He used a sponge to scrub off the stubborn stains on the countertop.
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Before painting, it's important to scrub off any old paint from the surface.
Synonyms
To remove dirt and stains
To clean and dry a surface by rubbing it with a cloth or your hand
To clean something by rubbing it hard with a brush and water
To remove something from a surface by washing with water or soap
To remove something from a surface by moving a cloth over it, like tears or dirt
Remove dirt or marks from a surface by rubbing with a cloth
Clean something using water to remove dirt or stains
To clean a surface using a cloth or towel to remove a spill
Come off a surface when something moves against it
Remove dirt or stains from something using hot steam
Remove a mark by moving a cloth or hand over it many times
To remove dirt or mud from a surface
To clean something very well by scrubbing or washing
To rub a surface with a wet sponge to clean it
Antonyms
How Thorough
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'scrub' (to remove dirt by rubbing) plus the particle 'off' (indicating removal) yields the sense of rubbing something away. This verb+particle pattern signaling removal is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Scrub off comes from the simple action of using a brush or cloth to scrub a surface so the dirt or paint comes off. So it means 'to remove' marks or unwanted material by cleaning with firm rubbing.