WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

rub down
    v 1: wear away [syn: abrade, corrade, abrase, rub down,
         rub off]
    2: manually manipulate (someone's body), usually for medicinal
       or relaxation purposes; "She rubbed down her child with a
       sponge" [syn: massage, rub down, knead]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

31 Moby Thesaurus words for "rub down":
   bed, bed down, break, bridle, brush, caress, curry, currycomb,
   drench, feed, fodder, frictionize, gentle, groom, handle, harness,
   hitch, knead, litter, manage, massage, milk, pet, rub, saddle,
   stroke, tame, tend, train, water, yoke