scrub Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun dense vegetation consisting of stunted trees or bushes
bush; chaparral.
noun the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water
scouring; scrubbing.
verb clean with hard rubbing
scour.
- She scrubbed his back
verb wash thoroughly
scrub up.
- surgeons must scrub prior to an operation
verb postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled
cancel; scratch; call off.
- Call off the engagement
- cancel the dinner party
- we had to scrub our vacation plans
- scratch that meeting--the chair is ill
adjective satellite (of domestic animals) not selectively bred

OE. scrobben, probably of Dutch or Scand. origin; cf. Dan. sckrubbe, Sw. skrubba, D. schrobben, LG. schrubben.

imperfect & past participle Scrubbed ; present participle & verbal noun Scrubbing

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.

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

One who labors hard and lives meanly; a mean fellow. "A sorry scrub." Bunyan.
We should go there in as proper a manner possible; nor altogether like the scrubs about us. Goldsmith.
Something small and mean.
A worn-out brush. Ainsworth.
A thicket or jungle, often specified by the name of the prevailing plant; as, oak scrub, palmetto scrub, etc.
(Stock Breeding) One of the commen live stock of a region of no particular breed or not of pure breed, esp. when inferior in size, etc. U.S.

Mean; dirty; contemptible; scrubby.
How solitary, how scrub, does this town lokk! Walpole.

No little scrub joint shall come on my board. Swift.