rubbing out
Eliminating pencil lines
Rubbing out is erasing or obliterating something, typically by friction: She was rubbing out the pencil marks.
The phrase also serves as slang for killing, especially in organized crime contexts: The mob was rubbing out witnesses.
Both senses share the idea of making something disappear.
- eraserMark removal tool
- pencil marksLines from lead writing
- removeTake something away
- wipeRub to clean
- snuffingExtinguishing by smothering
obliteration · mark · scratch · whacking · bumping off · effacement · assassination · deletion · expunging · hitman · contract killing · mobster · sleeping with the fishes · cement shoes · annihilation · liquidate · wiping · smearing
- destructiondestruction, destroying, demolishing, devastation, ruination
- eliminatingeliminating, eradicating, exterminating, abolishing, annihilating
- hockey playship check, shoulder check, open ice hit, boarding, charging
- polishingbuffing, burnishing, shining, glass polishing, silver polishing
rubbing outdrawing
Marks forming a picture
inscribing · marking · writing · adding · filling in
rubbing outsaving
Reserving for future use
sparing · rescuing · protecting · preserving · sheltering
rubbing outcreating
Making something new
establishing · preserving · maintaining · restoring · keeping
rub, out, scrub, rubber, rubbing, rubbed, rubs, erasing, scrubbing