rubbed out
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Dead,—a melancholy expression, of late frequently used in fashionable novels. RUBBED OUT is synonymous with WIPED OUT, which see.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “rubbed out” mean?
Dead,—a melancholy expression, of late frequently used in fashionable novels. RUBBED OUT is synonymous with WIPED OUT, which see.
Is “rubbed out” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.