massage
UK /ˈmæsɑː(d)ʒ/ · US /məˈsɑ(d)ʒ/ noun, verb
Forms massages massaging massaged
- noun The action of rubbing, kneading or hitting someone's body, to help the person relax, prepare for muscular action (as in contact sports) or to relieve aches. “Having a massage can have many beneficial effects.”
- noun The action of rubbing or kneading anything. “The baker gave the dough one final massage.”
- verb (transitive) To rub and knead (someone's body or body part), to perform a massage on (somebody). “My neck doesn't hurt as much as it did last night since my wife massaged me after I got back from the concert.”
- verb (transitive) To rub or knead anything. “Massage the kale to soften it before making the salad.”
- verb (transitive) To manipulate (data, a document etc.) to make it more presentable or more convenient to work with.
- verb (transitive) To falsify (data or accounts).
Synonyms
Etymology
From French massage (noun), from masser (“to massage”) (borrowed around the end of the 18th century from Arabic مَسَّ (massa, “feel, touch”), or from Portuguese amassar) + -age. Cognate to German massieren.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A rubbing or kneading of the body, especially when performed as a hygienic or remedial measure.
Etymology [F.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “massage”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details