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massage
[ muh-sahzh, -sahj or, especially British, mas-ahzh ]
/ məˈsɑʒ, -ˈsɑdʒ or, especially British, ˈmæs ɑʒ /
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noun
the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering: ego massage.
verb (used with object), mas·saged, mas·sag·ing.
to treat by massage.
Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper: The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.
Informal.
- to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully: to massage a bill through the Senate.
- to manipulate, organize, or rearrange (data, figures, or the like) to produce a specific result, especially a favorable one: The auditors discovered that the company had massaged the books.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of massage
OTHER WORDS FROM massage
mas·sag·er, mas·sag·ist, nounWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH massage
massage , messageWords nearby massage
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use massage in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for massage
massage
/ (ˈmæsɑːʒ, -sɑːdʒ) /
noun
the act of kneading, rubbing, etc, parts of the body to promote circulation, suppleness, or relaxation
verb (tr)
to give a massage to
to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage
to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor
massage someone's ego to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery
Derived forms of massage
massager or massagist, nounWord Origin for massage
C19: from French, from masser to rub; see mass
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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