rub one out

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To masturbate.

Register: slang, vulgar

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Irish sounded serious when he said, “Oh, yeah, dog, if you get caught rubbing one out in the joint, you're fucked.” I said, “What's rubbing one out mean?” He cackled, and said, “Whackin' off, chokin' your chicken, spankin' the monkey. Come on dog, don't play stupid.”

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “rub one out” mean?

To masturbate.

Is “rub one out” formal or informal?

rub one out is generally slang, vulgar.