backrub

[ bak-ruhb ]

noun

1. therapeutic manipulation of the muscles of the back; massage of the back.
2. a liniment or anodyne ointment for relieving muscular soreness:

   a tube of greaseless backrub.

Word History and Origins

Origin of backrub¹

back ¹ + rub

Example Sentences

Initially called BackRub, the startup grew into one of the world's most valuable and influential companies, Google.

From Reuters

While he pursued a series of ventures, including an ill-fated chain of massage emporiums called the Great American Backrub Store, his most successful business was the Learning Annex.

From New York Times

We can only wonder if, in a different world, Larry Page and Sergey Brin would have had taken over the Internet with a search engine called BackRub, or if a singer called Stefani Germanotta would have sold ten million copies of "Bad Romance."

From Salon

And it was a BackRub — I mean Google — search for Nutella recipes that led me to a magical formula for brownies made solely of Nutella and eggs.

From Salon

“The whole backrub thing, I didn’t know it was happening until the next day, somebody sent me a picture. I didn’t even feel his hands on me. You probably heard my response. I said either I was really focused or he has really soft hands.”

From Reuters