an elastic material obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus) that can be vulcanized and finished into a variety of products
"The factory workers collected the fresh latex sap from the rubber trees to process it into durable tires."
any of various synthetic elastic materials whose properties resemble natural rubber
"The mechanic replaced the old hose with a new tube made from high-quality synthetic rubber to ensure it wouldn't crack in the cold."
a contest consisting of a series of successive matches between the same sides
"he won three out of five games to take the rubber"
an eraser made of rubber (or of a synthetic material with properties similar to rubber); commonly mounted at one end of a pencil
"I accidentally tore my homework, so I had to use the small piece of rubber on the back of my pencil to fix it."
contraceptive device consisting of a sheath of thin rubber or latex that is worn over the penis during intercourse
"He asked me to throw away his old rubber before we went out for dinner."
Pliable material derived from the sap of the rubber tree; a hydrocarbon polymer of isoprene.
"After losing the first three sets, the tennis player fought back hard to win the rubber and secure victory in the match."
In relation to a series of games or matches between two competitors where the overall winner of the series is the competitor which wins a majority of the individual games or matches:
"After losing the first game, we knew our opponents had already won the rubber since it was now time for them to play off against us."
The entire series, of an odd number of games or matches in which ties are impossible (especially a series of three games in bridge or whist).
In plain English: Rubber is a sticky, flexible material made from tree sap that is used to make things like erasers and tires.
"I tied my shoelaces tight before putting on my rubber boots to walk through the rain."
Usage: Use "rubber" to refer specifically to a complete set of three games played between two opponents where the first to win two takes the match. This term is distinct from individual rounds within that larger contest and applies primarily to card games like bridge rather than single athletic events.
To eavesdrop on a telephone call
"I tried to catch them off guard by rubbering their conversation while they thought I was asleep in the next room."
In plain English: To rubber means to remove dirt or marks from a surface by rubbing it with a cloth or eraser.
"He rubbed his eyes to get rid of the itch."
Not covered by funds on account.
"The accounting department flagged the rubber check as invalid because there was no money in the drawer to cover it."
In plain English: Rubber describes something that is flexible and bounces back to its original shape after being stretched or squeezed.
"The rubber ball bounced across the floor."
The word "rubber" is formed by adding "-er" to "rub," but it originally referred to a specific material that was named for its ability to erase pencil marks, eventually replacing the earlier term caoutchouc. Other meanings related to rubbing or erasing developed secondarily from this original name for the substance.