knead

[ need ]

verb (used with object)

1. to work (dough, clay, etc.) into a uniform mixture by pressing, folding, and stretching.
2. to manipulate by similar movements, as the body in a massage.
3. to make by kneading:

   to knead bread.

4. to make kneading movements with:

   She kneaded her fist into her palm.

knead

/ niːd /

verb

1. to work and press (a soft substance, such as bread dough) into a uniform mixture with the hands
2. to squeeze, massage, or press with the hands
3. to make by kneading

Derived Forms

• ˈkneader, noun

Other Words From

• kneada·ble adjective
• kneada·bili·ty noun
• kneader noun
• kneading·ly adverb
• re·knead verb (used with object)
• un·kneaded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of knead¹

before 950; Middle English kneden, Old English cnedan; cognate with German kneten, Dutch kneden

Word History and Origins

Origin of knead¹

Old English cnedan; related to Old Saxon knedan, Old Norse knotha

Example Sentences

I got the Sellers Hoosier, a wooden hutch with a built-in tin flour bin and a metal bread kneading shelf, now more than 100 years old, that my great-grandmother used to bake on.

From Los Angeles Times

I remembered how much I loved the small, sensory details: the hiss of olive oil in a pan, the way garlic perfumes the air, the tactile pleasure of kneading dough.

From Salon

In order to mimic this structure, manufacturers use processes such as stretching, kneading, folding, layering, 3D printing and extrusion.

From Salon

He was kneading my head with his paws.

From Literature

He and I really kneaded it to make it the funniest part.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• massage
• rub