rub down

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rub down

verb rubs down · rubbing down · rubbed down

idiomatic, transitive To rub from top to bottom, e.g. for cleaning, stripping paint or massage. We were taken to a light airy stable, and placed in boxes adjoining each other, where we were rubbed down and fed.
dated, transitive To frisk (search by feeling the body and clothing). […] "jumped him", as it were, and immediately "rubbed him down" with the view of getting possession of his weapon.
transitive To grind, wear down, or wear away by rubbing.
Similar: rub away

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MLA

"rub down." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rub%20down. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

rub down. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rub%20down

Chicago

"rub down." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rub%20down.

BibTeX

@misc{rub_down_2026,
  title = {rub down},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rub%20down},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}