rub down

verb

1. to dry or clean (a horse, athlete, oneself, etc) vigorously, esp after exercise

2. to make or become smooth by rubbing

3. (tr) to prepare (a surface) for painting by rubbing it with sandpaper

noun

1. the act of rubbing down

2. the Hong Kong term for dressing-down

Idioms and Phrases

Briskly rub the body, as in a massage. For example, The trainer rubs down marathon runners, or That horse needs rubbing down. This expression was first used (and still is) for rubbing away dust and sweat from a horse. [Late 1600s]

Related Words

• comb 
• educate 
• prim 
• tend