drub

verb

ˈdrəb 

drubbed; drubbing

transitive verb

1

: to beat severely

2

: to berate critically

3

: to defeat decisively

intransitive verb

: drum, stamp

drubber noun

drubbing

ˈdrə-biŋ 

noun

Did you know?

Sportswriters often use the word drub when a team they are covering is drubbed—that is, routed—but the term’s history reveals that it wasn’t always a sporting word. When drub was first used in English, it referred to a method of punishment that involved beating the soles of the accused’s feet with a stick or cudgel. The term was apparently brought to England in the 17th century by travelers who reported observing the punitive practice abroad. The ultimate origin of drub is uncertain, but the etymological culprit may be the Arabic word ḍaraba, meaning “to beat.” Over the centuries, drub developed the additional milder, and now more common, meanings of “to berate critically” and “to defeat decisively.”

Synonyms

• bash
• baste
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belabor
• belt
• birch
• bludgeon
• buffet
• bung up
• club
• curry
• do
• fib [British]
• flog
• hammer
• hide
• lace
• lambaste
• lambast
• lash
• lather
• lick
• maul
• mess (up)
• paddle
• pelt
• pommel
• pound
• pummel
• punch out
• rough (up)
• slate
• slog
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• thresh
• thump
• tromp
• wallop
• whale
• whip
• whop
• whap
• whup
• work over

Examples of drub in a Sentence

a crowd was drubbing the purse snatcher when the police arrived on the scene

we drubbed our traditional football rivals so badly that it was basically no contest

Recent Examples on the Web

Fox News also continues drubbing CNN in the ratings. —Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 7 June 2023

In the next round of the Open Cup, which was played on Wednesday night at Protective Stadium, Birmingham Legion FC drubbed Memphis 3-0. I’m often asked about the possibility of Birmingham Legion FC making the jump to Major League Soccer. —Joseph Goodman | [e-mail], al, 26 Jan. 2023

One of the primary reasons the Celtics were drubbed Monday at Madison Square Garden was the season-worst 3-point shooting performance. —Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023

He was drubbed by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, who raised nearly $12 million. —Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Arabic ḍaraba

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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Kids Definition

drub

verb

ˈdrəb 

drubbed; drubbing

1

: to beat severely

2

: to defeat completely

drubbed her opponent in the tennis match