1. 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 rubber plantation produced tons of natural rubber"; "India rubber was once the primary source of elastic materials"; "The gum elastic plantation produced tons of natural rubber"; "The caoutchouc plantation produced tons of natural rubber";
   - natural rubber, India rubber, gum elastic, caoutchouc
    
2. Any of various synthetic elastic materials whose properties resemble natural rubber
   "Synthetic rubber is widely used in the automotive industry for tires and other components";
   - synthetic rubber
    
3. [Brit] A piece of rubber or similar material used to remove pencil or ink marks
   "He used the rubber to remove his mistake";
   - eraser
    
4. [N. Amer, informal] Contraceptive device consisting of a sheath of thin rubber or latex that is worn over the penis during intercourse
   "The health clinic distributed free rubbers to promote safe sex";
   - condom, safety [US, informal], safe, prophylactic, protective, French letter [Brit, archaic, informal], johnny [Brit, informal], franger [Austral, informal], protection
    
5. [N. Amer] A waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow
   "He slipped on his rubbers before stepping out into the rainy weather";
   - arctic [N. Amer], galosh, golosh, gumshoe [N. Amer]
    
6. [N. Amer] A tire consisting of a rubber ring around the rim of an automobile wheel
   "He noticed the rubber was losing air and needed to be inflated";
   - car tire [N. Amer], automobile tire [N. Amer], auto tire [N. Amer], rubber tire [N. Amer], car tyre [Brit], rubber tyre [Brit]
    
7. A contest consisting of a series of successive matches between the same sides
   "he won three out of five games to take the rubber"
    
8. A series of an odd number of games or matches of which a majority must be won
   "The tennis players were tied, so they played a rubber to determine the winner"

1. Coat or impregnate with rubber
   "They rubbered the soles of the shoes";
   - rubberize, rubberise [Brit]

1. (banking) returned for lack of funds
   "a rubber check";
   - no-good

Derived forms: rubbers, rubbering, rubbered

See also: bad

Type of: birth control device, coat, competition, contest, contraceptive, contraceptive device, implement, latex, overshoe, preventative, preventive, prophylactic device, surface, synthetic, synthetic substance, tire [N. Amer], tyre [Brit]

Part of: pencil

Encyclopedia: Rubber, Plastic and Allied Workers Union