🗓️ Idiom: Rub Elbows With (v)
💬 Meaning
- To associate or mix socially with influential, famous, or important people.
- This idiom suggests close contact or socializing with others, often in professional or high-status settings.
🧠 Example Sentences
- At the awards gala, the young entrepreneur rubbed elbows with industry leaders.
- She loves her job because it allows her to rub elbows with celebrities and VIPs.
- He’s always looking for events where he can rub elbows with decision-makers.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom likely comes from the physical closeness of crowded gatherings, where people’s elbows might literally touch. It evolved to describe socializing in elite or professional circles, where making connections through proximity is important.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The conference was a great opportunity for young professionals to __________ top executives.
Answer
rub elbows with
2. Choose the correct meaning of “rub elbows with”:
A) To avoid social events
B) To argue with someone
C) To socialize or network with influential people
Answer
C) To socialize or network with influential people
3. Rewrite the sentence using: Rub Elbows With.
“He attended the gala to meet and socialize with business leaders.”
Answer
He attended the gala to rub elbows with business leaders.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Business English Idioms List
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
