So I am on the phone talking with my "bro" Dave Netwon the other day and in the context of our conversation I used the idiom "rubbing shoulders." When you're "rubbing shoulders" in generally means spending time with people of importance, ie. Rubbing shoulders with the rich and the famous. Dave said, "Actually, I think you mean 'rubbing elbows' right?" I replied, "Ummm...no...'rubbing shoulders' is how it goes." Being a betting man (and trust me, Dave is a betting man, but we won't go there) he bet me dinner that he was right and I was wrong. We respectfully disagreed and I told him I wouldn't make him buy me filet when I proved him wrong.
A few minutes later as Carter and I were checking out digital cameras in Costco (a few weeks ago Carter dropped ours, breaking it) my phone rang. It was Dave and he had looked up the phrase on the internet using his phone. He said he found both instances.
Results of my Googling expedition on the topic unearthed the following:
"rub shoulders with someone (British, American & Australian, informal, American & Australian, informal)
Meaning: to spend time with famous people. He's Hollywood's most popular hairdresser and regularly rubs shoulders with top movie stars."
AND
"rub elbows with someone- to meet or be with someone socially."
I think Dave is saved because a lot of other goofs have screwed up the idiom and thus "rubbing elbows" came into being, although I still think "rubbing shoulders" is the commonly used idiom that most of us use.
So it's up to you. Which form have you heard/used the most?
Dave Newton and I rubbing SHOULDERS on the day of my wedding (no, I'm not short, he's just TALL):
AND
"rub elbows with someone- to meet or be with someone socially."
I think Dave is saved because a lot of other goofs have screwed up the idiom and thus "rubbing elbows" came into being, although I still think "rubbing shoulders" is the commonly used idiom that most of us use.
So it's up to you. Which form have you heard/used the most?
Dave Newton and I rubbing SHOULDERS on the day of my wedding (no, I'm not short, he's just TALL):
8 comments:
Well, I don't use either of the terms too much, but, I think I've heard the term "rubbing shoulders" more often...hey, either one sounds fun....
I have never heard of "rubbing elbows" but have heard of "rubbing shoulders" many times.
My wife and I argue over these types of sayings. Most notable was the "wake up and smell the roses" debate (Jenny's pick, not mine).
Dave, are you reading these? Ha! Sounds like we're going out to dinner, paying for ourselves, but you're getting the tip. (;
I've used and heard of rubbing shoulders not elbows. Plus on a side-note, if you think about it, given the physical position of the elbows versus shoulders, one would need to be at a closer proximity to rub shoulders than to rub elbows. Thus it's better to rub shoulders, unless you really don't like the person. :)
I just performed a scientific poll (calling 50 random people from the phone book) asking the question:
"Which idiom is correct? 'rubbing shoulders' or 'rubbing elbows'"?
My results are as follows:
12 people claimed they had never heard of "rubbing shoulders"
3 people claimed they had never heard of "rubbing elbows"
35 people claimed they were "eating dinner" and to leave them alone, promising to call the police if I wasted their time with meaningless questions like this e'er again...
these results show one thing: Danny, your friends obviously think you'll disown them if they disagree with you
mmmmmmmmmm, can't wait for that dinner ;)
My vote can be bought, how about desert????
i believe it is rubbing elbows, only because i think it is a reference to eating. however, the more i mull it over in my head, the more i think rubbing shoulders sounds better.
Thanks Dad:
Well looking about through a dozen or so sources of American and old english idioms, I think you both are being a bit obscure. Here are some findings for youto peruse for pleasure and practice.
rub Idioms
rub elbows/shoulders with (someone)
- to be in the same place as other people, to meet and mix with other people
At the party we were able to rub shoulders with many important people.
rub off on (someone)
- to transmit a characteristic of one person to someone else
The woman's habit of talking all the time has rubbed off on her friend as well.
rub out (someone or something)
- to destroy something completely, to kill/eliminate someone
The government troops rubbed out the entire village.
rub salt in (someone's) wound
- to deliberately make someone's unhappiness/shame/misfortune worse
My supervisor rubbed salt in my wound when he continued to criticize me for my mistake.
rub (someone's) nose in it
- to remind someone of something that he or she has done wrong
Our supervisor always likes to rub our nose in it if we make a mistake.
rub (someone) the wrong way
- to irritate others with something that one says or does
The woman's rude behavior always rubs me the wrong way.
rub (something) in
- to talk or joke about something that someone said or did
"I know that I made a mistake but you should not rub it in."
rub (something) off
- to remove or to be removed by rubbing, to erase something
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