Rub it In: Origin and Meaning

To talk about something you know will upset or embarrass someone.

This idiom is a short form of the phrase ‘rub salt in the wound’. Having an open wound is usually very painful but rubbing salt into it would hurt a lot and probably make you even more upset! Therefore, if you ‘rub salt in the wound’ or ‘rub it in’, you make someone feel more upset about a situation than they already are.

“I know I made a mistake in the meeting. I’m very embarrassed about it so please don’t rub it in.”

“Sorry to rub it in but the weather in Spain is amazing today. I’m having such a wonderful holiday! How is work? Is it still raining in London?”

Sam: “Remember last week when we played chess? I can’t remember who won, can you remind me?”
Jon: “Yeah, yeah, I remember. You beat me 3 times in a row. You don’t have to keep rubbing it in though!”