scrub
scrub — verb
- scrubpresent simple I / you / we / they
- scrubshe / she / it
- scrubbedpast simple
- scrubbing-ing form
1. To scrub something is to press and rub it firmly again and again with a hard bru
To scrub something is to press and rub it firmly again and again with a hard brush and soap in order to get the dirt off.
Roya scrubbed the kitchen floor with a stiff brush and hot soapy water.
scrub + object + with + tool + water
The chef scrubbed his hands carefully before starting to prepare the salad.
Wei spent the whole morning scrubbing the dirt off the bathroom tiles.
Imani scrubbed at the dark mark on her shirt, but it would not come out.
Elena put on rubber gloves and began scrubbing the burnt pan in the sink.
- dirty
to make something unclean, the opposite action
文法句型
scrub + object + (with + brush/soap/water)
scrub + at + stain/mark
用法筆記
Often used with a preposition or adverb to show direction: scrub off, scrub away, scrub out. The subject is typically a person and the object is a surface or object that needs cleaning.
常見錯誤
2. When you scrub a plan, flight, or event, you choose to drop it because an obstac
When you scrub a plan, flight, or event, you choose to drop it because an obstacle arises or conditions change. This use is informal and occurs especially in business and travel situations.
The airline scrubbed all afternoon flights because of the sudden snowstorm.
scrub + flights (travel context)
Aarav and his team scrubbed the product launch after discovering a safety fault.
scrub + project/launch (business context)
Roya decided to scrub the whole trip when her passport went missing.
The school scrubbed the outdoor festival when the weather turned stormy.
Henry scrubbed the board meeting after learning the main speaker had fallen ill.
- schedule
to plan or arrange an event
- go ahead with
to proceed as planned
文法句型
scrub + noun (plans/flights/meeting)
用法筆記
This meaning is informal and is commonly used in business and aviation contexts. 'Cancel' is more formal and can be used in any situation; 'scrub' suggests a last-minute decision often caused by external problems.
常見錯誤
scrub — noun
- scrubsingular
- scrubsplural
1. low trees and small bushes that grow close together in dry areas where the soil
low trees and small bushes that grow close together in dry areas where the soil is poor and rainfall is low. This kind of land is often called scrubland.
The hills behind Yael's village are covered in dry scrub and large rocks.
Only a few hardy birds can survive in the hot scrub of central Australia.
scrub as habitat (geography context)
Wei walked through the scrub for almost an hour looking for the lost goat.
The fire moved quickly through the dry scrub beside the coastal highway.
- bush
more common in Australian and African contexts; can also mean wild countryside
- thicket
a dense group of bushes or small trees, but not necessarily in dry conditions
- undergrowth
vegetation below trees in a forest, not specific to dry climates
文法句型
uncountable noun
2. the action of cleaning something by pressing and rubbing it firmly with a hard b
the action of cleaning something by pressing and rubbing it firmly with a hard brush and a cleaning product.
Beatrix gave the old oven a thorough scrub with a wire brush.
give + object + a + thorough scrub
Rohan's hands were sore after a long scrub of the greasy pots and pans.
a + long + scrub + of + object
The bathroom tiles need a good scrub before the new guests arrive on Friday.
Lukas gave the kitchen floor a hard scrub to remove the muddy footprints.
Elena's quick scrub with bleach was enough to clean the bathroom sink.
文法句型
give + noun + a + good/thorough + scrub
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used with 'give' or 'need' and an adjective such as 'good', 'thorough', 'hard', or 'quick' before the word 'scrub'.
常見錯誤
3. a thick, grainy substance that you rub onto your skin to clean it deeply and rem
a thick, grainy substance that you rub onto your skin to clean it deeply and remove dead skin cells, making the skin feel softer. Common types include sugar scrubs, salt scrubs, and facial scrubs.
Linh uses a gentle sugar scrub on her face every morning before work.
sugar scrub / facial scrub (beauty product)
Henry bought a coffee-based body scrub at the night market in Taipei.
Aarav rubbed the salt scrub gently onto his sunburned arms after returning from the beach.
Imani prefers a homemade scrub made from brown sugar, honey, and coconut oil.
文法句型
[type] + scrub
use + a + scrub
用法筆記
The word 'scrub' in this sense is often preceded by the main ingredient: 'sugar scrub', 'salt scrub', 'coffee scrub', 'facial scrub', 'body scrub'.
常見錯誤
4. a set of loose, comfortable clothes made of light fabric, usually in light blue
a set of loose, comfortable clothes made of light fabric, usually in light blue or green, worn by doctors, nurses, and other medical staff while working in a hospital.
The nurse changed into her fresh scrubs before starting the night shift.
Rohan bought two sets of blue scrubs for his medical school placement at the hospital.
sets/pairs of scrubs (countable plural)
Beatrix wore green scrubs and a white coat while doing her rounds on the ward.
Taiwan hospitals require staff to wear clean scrubs daily to stop the spread of germs.
文法句型
wear + scrubs
in + scrubs
a pair of + scrubs
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form — 'scrubs' — even for a single set of clothing. You can say 'a pair of scrubs' or 'a set of scrubs' to refer to one set.