[ruhb-er] 
| 1. | Also called India rubber, natural rubber, gum elastic, caoutchouc. a highly elastic solid substance, light cream or dark amber in color, polymerized by the drying and coagulation of the latex or milky juice of rubber trees and plants, esp. Hevea and Ficus species. |
| 2. | a material made by chemically treating and toughening this substance, valued for its elasticity, nonconduction of electricity, shock absorption, and resistance to moisture, used in the manufacture of erasers, electrical insulation, elastic bands, crepe soles, toys, water hoses, tires, and many other products. |
| 3. | any of various similar substances and materials made synthetically. Compare synthetic rubber. |
| 4. | rubber band. |
| 5. | an eraser of this material, for erasing pencil marks, ink marks, etc. |
| 6. | Informal. a rubber tire or a set of rubber tires. |
| 7. | a low overshoe of this material. |
| 8. | an instrument or tool used for rubbing, polishing, scraping, etc. |
| 9. | a person who rubs something, as to smooth or polish it. |
| 10. | cutter (def. 7). |
| 11. | British. a dishcloth. |
| 12. | a person who gives massages; masseur or masseuse. |
| 13. | swipe (def. 6). |
| 14. | Baseball. an oblong piece of white rubber or other material embedded in the mound at the point from which the pitcher delivers the ball. |
| 15. | a coarse file. |
| 16. | Slang. a condom. |
| 17. | Informal. to rubberneck. |
| 18. | made of, containing, or coated with rubber: a rubber bath mat. |
| 19. | pertaining to or producing rubber: a rubber plantation. |
| India rubber n. See rubber1. |
| rub·ber 1 (rŭb'ər) n.
[From rub.] |
rubber (check)
|
"Very useful for erasing the strokes of black lead pencils, and is popularly called rubber, and lead-eater." [entry for Caoutchouc in, Howard, "New Royal Encyclopedia," 1788]Meaning "overshoes made of rubber" is 1842, Amer.Eng.; slang sense of "condom" is from 1930s. Sense of "deciding match" in a game or contest is 1599, of unknown origin, and perhaps an entirely separate word. Rubberneck (v.) is attested from 1896. Rubber stamp is from 1881; fig. sense of "institution whose power is formal but not real" is from 1919; the v. in this sense is from 1934. Rubber cement is attested from 1895. Rubber check is from 1927.
