English idiom

rub someone the wrong way

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to irritate or offend a person, often without intending to

Word picture

A hand is pictured moving against the natural direction of a surface and producing an unpleasant rough sensation.

Example

“His habit of interrupting people rubbed the new manager the wrong way.”

Dictionary details

Component words

rub wrong way

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

every which way

in every direction, often in a scattered or disorderly way

pave the way

to make it easier for something else to happen or develop

look the other way

to pretend not to notice misconduct or another troubling situation

rub shoulders

to mix or spend time with people in a social or professional setting

give someone the cold shoulder

To deliberately ignore or be unfriendly toward someone.

think the world of

admire or care for someone or something very deeply

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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