verb Street Slang

rub out

RUB-OWT · verb · slang

To murder someone.

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Definitions

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To rub out a person is to kill them, erasing them entirely. It is classic Prohibition-era gangster slang.

“The rival boss got rubbed out before he could make his move.”
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rub out In A Sentence

The rival boss got rubbed out before he could make his move.

Origin & Usage

American underworld slang, 1920s.

People Also Ask

What does 'rub out' mean?

To rub out a person is to murder them, erasing them entirely. It is classic Prohibition-era gangster slang.

When was 'rub out' commonly used?

It dates to 1920s American underworld slang, popularized during the Prohibition era.

Is 'rub out' still used today?

It survives mostly in historical and pulp-fiction contexts rather than current street use.

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