RE: Rubbers are for deleting stuff, except in the US where they are for preventing stuff.
it took me a while, but i realized.. a rubber is something that is sometimes worn by a guy to prevent stuff... as dxb so discretely puts it, but rubbers are still boots..
a rubber could also be a round of bridge, too (i have no idea why)
i know the english use a rubber to mean an eraser --or as it is sometimes called (at least in NYC) art gum (after a well known brand of erasers/rubbers) art gum came as a block about 1 inch x 1 inch x 2 inches.. and bored kids would use them to create rubber stamps.. they could be inked up with ink from a fountain pen.
gimme the art gum. would be understood by my son and daughter too, but they were both into art, i don't know if most people their age would use the expression. (the brand still exist, and is still commonly used.)
