rub n.2
1. (US) a dance, typified by the overt sexuality and physical proximity of the partners; a dancing party; thus rub club, a dancehall where such dancing occurs.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | ‘College Sl.’ in AS III:2 131: A party is referred to as: ‘a struggle,’ ‘a brawl,’ ‘a rub,’ ‘a work out,’ or ‘a drag.’. | |
| In the Life 70: Rub club? You seen these here dance halls [...] They’re not all of ’em rub joints. [...] You know it’s not dancing no how. It’s a standing up trick, with out putting it in. The poor jerks have to pay before they pop. | |
| (con. 1900s–10s) City in Sl. (1995) 67: A low dancing party was known as a rub; a cheap dance hall was sometimes called a rub joint because body contact was allowed and encouraged. |
2. (W.I., also rub-up) a dance or dancing party.
![[WI]](/static/img/flags/wi.png "West Indies") | cited in Dict. Jam. Eng. (1980). |
In compounds
a low dancehall, which features dances such as the lovers’ two-step, the bunny hug and the turkey trot, all of which permit much more physical intimacy than those on offer at more staid establishments.
| In the Life 70: Rub club? You seen these here dance halls [...] They’re not all of ’em rub joints. [...] You know it’s not dancing no how. It’s a standing up trick, with out putting it in. The poor jerks have to pay before they pop. | |
| (con. 1900s–10s) City in Sl. (1995) 67: A low dancing party was known as a rub; a cheap dance hall was sometimes called a rub joint because body contact was allowed and encouraged. | |
| (con. 1940s–60s) Straight from the Fridge Dad. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
(US) a massage parlour.
 | Eye Weekly 18 Sept. 🌐 Many people — including some at the meeting — still view body rub parlors as fronts for prostitution. |
In phrases
1. (Irish) to tease.
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | (con. 1940s) Borstal Boy 241: The other fellows might give me a rub about Ireland. | |
| (con. 1940s) Confessions 119: We did some very unfair things to them and used to give them the rub. |
2. see also under rub(-out) n.
(Irish) sexual intercourse.
| Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 81: Some oul’ goat of a Priest up in that posh school gave her a rub of the relic and she says she’s niver overed it. | |
| Alive, Alive O! n.p.: Eason’s was a real Dublin place. The girls in there were real Dublin and the discussion in the canteen at the break was who had had the rub of the relic [BS]. | |
| Slanguage. |