Rub out this line

Question

I want to say: borra esta línea. What is it better?

Rub out this line

Erase this line

If I want to translate: borra (regarding a drawing too)

Rub out

Erase

Thanks, as always.

See below Nila - Gekko and Mariana - but both would be understood. "rub out" can have other connotations. - ian-hill, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 1

I would tend to agree with Gekko and Mariana on this one.

The only context I can think of where you might use rub is if you also were to mention the instrument which is being used to do the rubbing, such as a body part, an eraser, a piece of cloth, etc. For example, if someone were asked to "rub out/away" a chalk line with their finger, or if someone "rubbed out" a line in the sand with their foot you might say that they "rubbed it out."

I suppose in such cases you might say something like

?"Use your finger to rub away the line" or "With/using your finger, rub away the line"

?"Using/With your eraser, lightly rub away the sketch lines."

?"While lightly holding your eraser, rub out any unwanted marks."

?"Take a clean piece of cloth and rub it repeatedly across/over the line until it has been erased completely"

If, on the other hand, you are talking about computer animation then I can't think of any context where you might use the word "rub." Instead, I think that in this case you would more likely see "erase the line" or "delete the line."

In any case, I think that "erase the line" (as previously mentioned) would still probably be the most common way to say it in any context.

Answer 2

I'd say "erase this line". "Erase the drawing".

Answer 3

I agree:

Erase this line

Answer 4

Agreed. But if you are using charcoal or another medium that allows you to physically rub out the line, then you can use the first one.