massage

[ muh-sahzh, -sahjor, especially British, mas-ahzh ]

noun

1. the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
2. Slang. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering:

   ego massage.

verb (used with object)

, mas·saged, mas·sag·ing.

1. to treat by massage.
2. Slang. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper:

   The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.

3. Informal.
   1. to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully:

      to massage a bill through the Senate.

   2. 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.

massage

/ -sɑːdʒ; ˈmæsɑːʒ /

noun

1. the act of kneading, rubbing, etc, parts of the body to promote circulation, suppleness, or relaxation

verb

1. to give a massage to
2. to treat (stiffness, aches, etc) by a massage
3. to manipulate (statistics, data, etc) so that they appear to support a particular interpretation or to be better than they are; doctor
4. massage someone's ego
   to boost someone's sense of self-esteem by flattery

Derived Forms

• ˈmassager, noun

Other Words From

• mas·sager mas·sagist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of massage¹

1875–80; < French, equivalent to mass ( er ) to massage (< Arabic massa to handle) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of massage¹

C19: from French, from masser to rub; see mass

Example Sentences

A whole bunch of teeny tiny punches like a massage.”

From Salon

Western officials believe the fires originated in electric massage machines containing a "magnesium-based" substance.

From BBC

When you don’t have the funds or time to get a massage at your favorite spa or stay at a luxurious hotel, you can find respite at a surprising place: the South Bay Galleria.

From Los Angeles Times

The 60-minute service includes a detailed scalp analysis — shedding light not just on the health of your noggin but also your overall health, according to practitioners — followed by a slow, indulgent head and neck massage and repeated hair washings.

From Los Angeles Times

Anti-abortion advocates say that the wording of Amendment 4 is so vague that it would let anyone—a massage therapist, a tattoo artist—qualify as a “health care provider” to perform abortions, and that it would let anyone get an abortion up until the moment of birth.

From Slate

Related Words

• caress
• pat
• rub