Etymology Journal · R
Rub some dirt on it
Meaning
- A classic bit of tough love advice suggesting that one should ignore a minor injury and keep going. It is the ultimate antidote to complaining about scraped knees or hurt feelings.
Tough, dismissive
Used in a sentence
- I tripped on the sidewalk and my dad just told me to rub some dirt on it.
- Your feelings are hurt because of that joke, but you should just rub some dirt on it and move on.
- Stop whining about your blister and rub some dirt on it so we can finish the hike.
The backstory
This likely stems from sports culture, specifically baseball, where players would rub dirt on a small cut to stop the bleeding or improve grip. It has become a metaphor for building character through stoicism.
Heard in
Nationwide
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