scrub

1.
v. & n.
—v. (scrubbed, scrubbing)
1 tr. rub hard so as to clean, esp. with a hard brush.
2 intr. use a brush in this way.
3 intr. (often foll. by up) (of a surgeon etc.) thoroughly clean the hands and arms by scrubbing, before operating.
4 tr. colloq. scrap or cancel (a plan, order, etc.).
5 tr. use water to remove impurities from (gas etc.).
—n. the act or an instance of scrubbing; the process of being scrubbed.
Phrases and idioms:
scrubbing-brush (US scrub-brush) a hard brush for scrubbing floors. scrub round colloq. circumvent, avoid.
Etymology: ME prob. f. MLG, MDu. schrobben, schrubben
2.
n.
1 a vegetation consisting mainly of brushwood or stunted forest growth. b an area of land covered with this.
2 (of livestock) of inferior breed or physique (often attrib.: scrub horse).
3 a small or dwarf variety (often attrib.: scrub pine).
4 US Sport colloq. a team or player not of the first class.
Phrases and idioms:
scrub turkey a megapode. scrub typhus a rickettsial disease of the W. Pacific transmitted by mites.
Derivatives:
scrubby adj.
Etymology: ME, var. of SHRUB(1)