hey rube

US/heɪ ɹub/

interjection

A call to rally circus members in a fight.

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Meanings

hey rube1

interjection

alternative hey Rube

  1. A call to rally circus members in a fight.
nounhey rube (plural hey rubes)

plural hey rubes · alternative hey Rube

  1. A fight between members of a circus and the general public.

    "I said 'Shut it, Camel! I'm dealing with a situation here.' Walter says. /.'What kind of situation?' says Camel. / "'Jacob's messed up.' / "'What? How? Was there a hey rube?'"

    2006, Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
  2. broadlyAny fight or conflict, especially a rowdy and informal one.

hey Rube2

nounhey Rube (plural hey Rubes)

plural hey Rubes

  1. Alternative letter-case form of hey rube.

Origin

Used since approximately 1935; from a shortening of the given name Reuben. It originated as a cry used by circus workers, possibly because of the connotations of the name Reuben as belonging to someone living in the rural USA.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

hey rube. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hey%20rube

MLA

“hey rube.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hey%20rube. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hey rube,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hey%20rube.

Source: hey rube on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.