rub up

verb

1. whenintr, foll by on to refresh one's memory (of)
2. tr to smooth or polish

Example Sentences

In that extreme environment, the largest and smallest things in the universe rub up against one another.

From Scientific American

Now even Nazis rub up against him, advancing the inadvertent but no less troubling idea that National Socialism was in part a queer phenomenon.

From New York Times

As the star swelled, a companion object began to rub up against its outer layers, heating them up and causing them to brighten in the infrared.

From Science Magazine

Kristensen said the more numerous Chinese submarine deployments have meant the PLA and U.S. militaries increasingly "rub up" against each other - increasing the odds of accidental conflict.

From Reuters

We grab our soap and wade out into the river’s side channel for a wash-up and dip before breakfast, hoping a gar doesn’t rub up against our legs with its jagged teeth and prehistoric scales.

From Los Angeles Times