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Glite Dictionary
🍞 To mix by hand 💆 To massage
to knead

to knead

4 4.3
Press and rub a person's muscles with hands so they relax
  • verb
  • /niːd/
translation icon : masajear
  • "Comfortable?" asked Marla, who stood at the far end of the table, kneading Kathleen's left instep.
  • kneaded the flesh
  • kneaded muscles
  • kneaded my shoulders

Examples

  • And he's now kneading up my chest.

  • Virgil moves his hands down her back, sensually kneading each muscle.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • "Never mind," Neuwirth said, kneading the bridge of his nose with one hand.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • "Never mind," she says easily, then smiling, reaching a palm lightly over to knead his thigh.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • With slow, circular movements, she kneaded the flesh, frowning with concentration.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "So how's the art biz?" Jason asks as he kneads Henry's back and shoulders.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • His fingers gently kneaded Hugo's temples, making small circles, and Hugo gave in to it.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • She began to knead my shoulders to help ease the tension in my muscles.

  • After a long day at work, he loved to knead his partner's back to relieve stress.

  • The massage therapist uses various techniques, including kneading, to provide muscle relief.

Synonyms

to rub
vsto knead
600 1.0

To move your hand over something with pressure to clean, warm, or ease an itch

is a specific pressing and squeezing of muscles to relax or relieve pain
to massage
vsto knead
59 3.3

To rub someone's muscles to relieve pain and tension

focuses on pressing and squeezing to relax muscles and relieve pain
to rub down
vsto knead
1 4.1

To clean or massage a person's body by moving something over it

is a focused pressing and squeezing action aimed at easing muscle pain

Antonyms

to tense
9 4.0

To make the body or muscles tight and unable to relax

How Firm

to massage
59 3.3
to knead
4 4.3
press
11 1.3
to rub
600 1.0
pat
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

knead infinitive
kneaded past
kneaded past participle
kneading present participle
kneads third person singular

Etymology

Knead comes from the same old German word cnedan meaning 'to press' or 'squeeze', which is why we say someone 'kneads' your muscles during a massage — they press and rub them like dough to make them softer.