verreiben

Verreiben is a German verb with two closely related but distinct meanings tied to friction and manipulation of substances. Primarily, it denotes rubbing a substance with another material until it is ground down or blended, often to a fine powder. It can also mean applying a substance by rubbing it into a surface, especially the skin, so that it is absorbed.

In pharmaceutics and chemistry, verreiben describes the preparatory process of powdering a substance by rubbing it, typically in a mortar. The action may involve grinding, pulverizing, or mixing substances to achieve a uniform powder or a homogeneous mass. This sense appears in technical texts and old pharmacopoeias, where precise preparation steps are described as verreiben.

In everyday and clinical contexts, verreiben also means to rub a substance onto a surface or into the skin. For example, a cream or ointment is verreiben when it is spread firmly with the hand until evenly distributed and absorbed. This usage emphasizes the manual application aspect rather than the creation of a powder.

Etymology and related terms: verreiben is formed from the verb reiben (to rub) with the prefix ver-, indicating processing or completion of the action. Related verbs include zerreiben (to crumble or rub to a powder) and other rubbing-related terms.

See also: reiben; zerreiben; Mörser (mortar) as a tool used for verreiben in compounding processes. Verreiben is a specialized term often found in scientific, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic contexts, with a broader application to any action involving rubbing to produce a finer state or to facilitate topical application.