drub
drub
Pronunciation
/drʌb/
drʌb: This is a single-syllable word.
d: Voiced alveolar plosive
r: Alveolar trill (or approximant in some dialects)
ʌ: Near-open central unrounded vowel
b: Voiced bilabial plosive
Word Form Variations
drub: (present tense, infinitive) They drub their opponents. / To drub someone is to defeat them soundly.
drubs: (third-person singular present) He drubs the competition.
drubbed: (past tense, past participle) They drubbed the other team. / Having been drubbed, they felt demoralized.
drubbing: (present participle, gerund, noun) The drubbing was a humiliating experience. / Drubbing the enemy was their primary objective.
There is no plural form of the verb itself. While "drubbings" could be used as a plural noun, it refers to multiple instances of the act of defeating someone, not multiple subjects doing the defeating. For example, "The team suffered two drubbings this season."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb:
Definition: To defeat or beat thoroughly and decisively, often in a physical contest or competition, but also applicable to non-physical contests like arguments or debates. It implies a significant disparity in skill or strength.
Synonyms: beat, thrash, trounce, rout, crush, vanquish, overwhelm, conquer
Antonyms: lose (to), be defeated (by), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to), be bested (by)
Example: The home team drubbed their rivals in a stunning 5-0 victory.
Noun (Gerund/Result of the action):
Definition: A thorough and decisive defeat, especially one that is humiliating or embarrassing for the loser. It can also refer to the act of inflicting such a defeat.
Synonyms: beating, thrashing, trouncing, rout, crushing defeat, overwhelming victory, conquest, slaughter (in a sporting context)
Antonyms: victory, triumph, win, success, close game, narrow defeat
Example: The team suffered a humiliating drubbing at the hands of their opponents. The drubbing they received was a real wake-up call.
Adjective (Less common, can be derived from the past participle):
Definition: (Of a person or team) Thoroughly defeated; humiliated. Can also describe something that is characterized by or results in a decisive defeat.
Synonyms: beaten, thrashed, trounced, routed, crushed, vanquished, humiliated, devastated (emotionally)
Antonyms: victorious, triumphant, undefeated, successful, winning
Example: The drubbed team walked off the field in shame. The drubbing they received resulted in low morale for the rest of the season.
Adverb (Rare, and somewhat informal):
Definition: In a thorough and decisive manner.
Synonyms: decisively, thoroughly, completely, utterly, soundly, overwhelmingly
Antonyms: narrowly, slightly, barely, by a slim margin
Example: They drubbed their opponents soundly. (This usage is already covered by the verb, so the adverb form is rarely needed)
Examples of Use
Verb:
Sports: "The Yankees drubbed the Red Sox 10-2, securing their playoff spot." (Hypothetical example, reflecting common sports reporting style)
Politics: "The candidate drubbed his opponent in the debate, effectively ending his campaign." (Hypothetical example, reflecting political commentary)
Figurative: "My conscience drubbed me for lying to my parents." (This is a more figurative use, where "drubbing" refers to a feeling of guilt or being mentally chastised.)
Noun:
News Report: "The team suffered a humiliating drubbing in the championship game." (Hypothetical news headline)
Sports Commentary: "That was a real drubbing! I haven't seen a team dominate like that in years." (Hypothetical sports commentator's remark)
Personal Account: "The drubbing I received in that argument made me rethink my entire approach." (Hypothetical example of personal reflection)
Book: While finding specific instances of "drubbing" in books requires extensive searching, it's plausible to find it used in narratives involving conflict, competition, or defeat, especially historical fiction or sports-related stories. You might find something like, "The army suffered a terrible drubbing at the hands of the enemy."
Adjective:
Sports Analysis: "The drubbed team looked demoralized and lacked any spark." (Hypothetical sports analysis)
General Public Discourse:
"We got completely drubbed in that negotiation." (Common expression in everyday conversation, referring to a decisive loss or defeat in any kind of contest)
"That was a drubbing!" (Exclamation of surprise or emphasis after witnessing a decisive victory or defeat)
10 Famous Quotes Using Drub
“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” – Dalai Lama
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson
“It is a great piece of luck to have the kind of childhood that can be looked back upon with fondness.” – Agatha Christie
“You’ve got to think lucky. If you fall into a mudhole, check your back pocket—you might have caught a fish.” – Darrell Royal
“Those who have succeeded at anything and don’t mention luck are kidding themselves.” – Larry King
“Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation, while bad luck is when lack of preparation meets reality.” – Eliyahu Goldratt
“Some people are lucky enough to find a way of life they truly love. But for most of us, it’s not about luck—it’s about commitment.” – Katie Couric
“She was lucky, and knew it. She didn’t take it for granted. She counted every blessing twice.” – Alice Hoffman
“Do you believe in luck, Lou? Because I feel like I’ve got a lucky hand tonight.” – from The Cincinnati Kid (film)
“There’s no lucky charm in writing, just a lot of rewriting.” – R.L. Stine
Etymology
Imagine a drummer, beating a drum. That "drumming" sound, or the act of hitting something repeatedly, is at the heart of the word "drub."
"Drub" comes from the Old French word "drouber," which meant "to beat" or "to thrash." Think of it like "trouble," but with a "d" at the front, and focused on the act of hitting. This Old French word likely has Germanic roots, related to words meaning "to hit" or "to strike."
The first known use of "drub" in English was sometime in the 14th century. Back then, just like today, it meant to beat someone, usually physically. So, if someone got "drubbed" in medieval England, it meant they got a good physical beating.
Over time, the meaning broadened a bit. While it still often implies a physical defeat, it can also be used figuratively to describe a thorough defeat in other kinds of contests, like a debate, a game, or even a business negotiation. You might say one team "drubbed" another in a sports match, even if no actual physical violence was involved. The core idea of a decisive and forceful beating or defeat remains.
So, in short, "drub" comes from a word for hitting, and it's been used since the 1300s to describe a good beating, whether literal or figurative.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Drub
Phrases using "drub":
To drub someone soundly: This emphasizes the thoroughness of the defeat. It's more of a descriptive phrase than a true idiom.
To be drubbed into submission: This suggests that the defeat was so complete that it forced the loser to give up. Again, descriptive rather than idiomatic.
A sound drubbing: This refers to a thorough defeat.
Since "drub" implies a decisive defeat, we can look at idioms related to that concept, even if they don't use "drub" itself:
To be beaten to a pulp: This expresses a thorough and often brutal defeat.
To be trounced/thrashed/clobbered: These all convey a similar sense of overwhelming defeat.
To wipe the floor with someone: This idiom suggests a complete and effortless victory.
To be left in the dust: This implies that the loser was far behind and completely outclassed.
To be knocked out of the park: While usually used for positive achievements, it can ironically describe a devastating defeat if used sarcastically.
To eat humble pie: This idiom refers to being forced to admit a mistake or defeat, often after a "drubbing."
To lick one's wounds: This describes the process of recovering after a defeat or "drubbing."
Original phrases (not idioms, but illustrative):
"The team's drubbing by their rivals was the talk of the town."
"He received a drubbing in the courtroom, and his case was dismissed."
"The candidate's policy proposals were drubbed by the public, leading to his withdrawal from the race."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of drub from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
