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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rub, Rob, v. Also: rubb-; robb, robe, roob. [ME and e.m.E. robbe(n (Ancr. R.), rob (c1400), OF rob(b)er (late 12th c. in Greimas), of Gmc. origin.] To rob, in various senses.

1. tr. To take (something) from (fra) another by force; to steal.With and without const.Also, once, to rub away (something), to carry off.(1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 94 (B).
Gyf ony man fyndys his thyng in the fayre that is stollyn or rubbyt fra hym 1456 Hay I 91/22.
Gif a man gais to the were for covatis to pele and rub gudis [etc.] 1513 Doug. ii vii 26.
Our other feris rubbis, tursyng away fut hait The spreith of Troy 1577 Crail B. Ct. MS 17 Oct.
Gyff ony persoun in ony tyme heirefter be fowndin rugging or rubbyng ony stowkis [etc.](b) 1610 Crim. Trials III 100.
Ȝe pilleit and robbed furth of Thomas Snellingis bark … ane barrell of cuscheneill 1610 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 346.
Yea [= you] … robit and away tuik furth thairof … tuentie fyve pund striveling 1669 Argyll Justic. Rec. 7.
And most theifteouslie robbit stoll and away took furth therof ane … kow 1674 Sc. Hist. Rev. II 358.
They … did … insolentlie robb the wreits they had then … from them 1680 Cunningham Diary 115.
To my boy having his hat robb'd(2) 1694 W. K. Hunter Hist. Priory Coldingham (1858) 85.
George Blair gave her the commendation of a thief by rubbing away folks elding

2. To plunder or pillage (a place).(a) 1513 Doug. xii v 103.
Ȝon ilk stranger … our marchis with fors … Inuadis, rubbis and spulȝeis 1533 Boece 442.
Danis … herryit and rubbit all the cuntre 1594 Reg. Privy C. V 197.
[They] did quhat in thame lay … to have rubbit and spuilyeit hir house(b) 1610 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 346.
Yea … enterit abuird the said schip … and robit hir of hir turceabil gudis being thairintill 1680 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 20 Feb.
His hows was robed in the night verie laitlie

3. To strip, despoil (a person), by unlawful force, violence or some other means (of material or non-material possessions).With and without const.(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke x 30.
Theues … rubbit him … and went away 1549 Lamb Resonyng 43/21.
Thai caus … outlandismen for to rub or slay thair awin nychtbouris 1576 Orkney Oppress. 84.
Lyk as thai are instantly, grevuslye rubbit, oppressit and spoliat of thair gudis 1585–6 James VI in Cal. Sc. P. VIII 204.
Being rubbed in the sea be ane English pirat 1641 Hibbert P. No. 11.
That yow sie thame not sustene such wrong as to be rubbed so in violence(b) 1456 Hay I 95/14.
Gif a burges … be tane and robbit be the way cummand to Paris wart 1615 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 279.
Certayn … outlawes [in Ireland] … did … roob … the passengers that way 1631–2 Glasgow B. Rec. II 504.
To ten Dutchmen quha was robit be pirots(2) 1562-3 Winȝet I 105/24.
That he [sc. a penitent] mak satisfactioun to his brothir … in sa fer as he hes offendit and rubbit him of his geris or honouris 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 577.
[They] spuilyeit and rubbit thame of thair horsis, pursis and silver 1581 Melvill 105.
Rubbet 1596 Ib. 378.
Whose wrathe is as … a boare rubbit of hir whelpes 1623 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 243.
They shamefullie, violentlie and mischeantlie spoyled and rubbed the said straingeris … of thair cloathing(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 54/19.
Alexander Ogillvie … wsurpit the baillȝerie to him self and pat this Alexander fre the samin. Quhairfoir being on this way robed of his lyfe [I. troubillit of his richt] he [etc.] 1610 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 346.
Yea … robit and strypit the haill companie … off thair gudis and geir 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. ii 8.
The smyling blinks … Had force to robe proud Cupid of his dairts 1674 Dumfries Doc. Petitions No. 30.
I was robed and all that I had taken from me

4. To take away (a person's power, ability, etc.).Const. (if Sampson … hys = Sampsonis) single object. 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 29.
O luf, … Salomonys wyt, Sampson thou rubbist hys fors And Dauid thou byreft hys prophecy

5. intr. To commit theft; to plunder or pillage.In the quot. for 1532, ruband may be regarded as tr., and a further instance of 1 above. 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 124.
Geff sic man or woman can be comprehendit stowlland our corn, plukand or pulland, ruband, thuftiusly gaderand [etc.] 1571 Sat. P. xxv 52.
Some rubbing, some budding, … That … vnrichtlie They may this realme enjoy c1590 Fowler I 57/257.
I also know how that he rubbis and playis the theif perforce