rubstone
(ˈrʌbstəʊn)
Also 6 north. rebstone.
[f. rub v.1 + stone n.]
A stone used for rubbing with, in order to sharpen or make smooth; esp. a kind of whetstone.
| 14.. Domesday Bk. Ipswich in Gross Gild Merch. (1890) II. 122 Quernstonys, gryndstonys, rubstonys. 1571 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees, 1835) 352 Item I gyue to John Stephen in money fyue markes..ij dosen knyff stones & iiij dosen rebstones. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 37 A brush sithe and grasse sithe, with rifle to stand, a cradle for barlie, with rubstone and sand. 1600 in Welford Hist. Newcastle (1887) III. 141 The loading and better disposing of sea-coals and pit-coals, grindstones, rubstones, and whetstones. 1697 in Brand Newcastle (1789) II. 300 [The mayor of Newcastle granted a warrant to four persons to seize on coals, grind-stones, and rub-stones, sold by foreigners]. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 245 A Rub-stone, which is round, and is about fourteen Inches Diameter,..on which they rub the Bricks which they cut into several shapes. 1850 Holtzapffel Turning III. 1098 The rubstones employed [in rubbing slate], depend principally on their relative abundance in the respective districts. 1866 J. E. Brogden Prov. Lincs., Rub-stone, a white stone for sharpening scythes. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. 1998/2 Rub-stone, the flat stone on which the currier's knife is ground to an edge. |