"rub hard," early 15c., earlier shrubben (c. 1300), perhaps from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German schrubben "to scrub," or from an unrecorded Old English cognate, or from a Scandinavian source (such as Danish skrubbe "to scrub"), probably ultimately from the Proto-Germanic root of shrub, used as a cleaning tool (compare the evolution of broom, brush (n.1)).
Meaning "to cancel" is attested from 1828 (popularized during World War II with reference to flights), probably from notion of "to rub out, erase" an entry on a listing. Related: Scrubbed; scrubbing.
scrub (n.1)
late 14c., "low, stunted tree," variant of shrobbe (see shrub), perhaps influenced by a Scandinavian word (such as Danish dialectal skrub "a stunted tree, brushwood"). Collective sense "brush, shrubs" is attested from 1805. As an adjective from 1710. Scrub oak recorded from 1766.
Transferred sense of "mean, insignificant fellow" is from 1580s; U.S. sports meaning "athlete not on the varsity team" is recorded from 1892, probably from this, but compare scrub "hard-working servant, drudge" (1709), perhaps from influence of scrub (v.).
scrub (n.2)
"act of scrubbing," 1620s, from scrub (v.). Meaning "thing that is used in scrubbing" is from 1680s.
实用例句
1. It would pay farmers to plough up the scrub and plant wheat.
它会出钱雇农民开垦这块低矮丛林来种植麦子。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The road winds for miles through parched earth, scrub and cactus.
公路蜿蜒数英里，穿过炙烤的大地、灌木丛和仙人掌。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The area was then colonized by scrub.
后来这块地灌木丛生。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The walls needed a good scrub.
这些墙壁得好好擦洗。
来自柯林斯例句
5. I got paint on my hands and it won't scrub off.
