massage
MA-sahzh
Massage (noun) means the act of rubbing or kneading someone's body to relax muscles or relieve tension. Example: “After a week at the desk, a back massage felt wonderful.”
noun
1
The act of rubbing or kneading someone's body to relax muscles or relieve tension.
"After a week at the desk, a back massage felt wonderful."
"She booked a massage after the long flight."
"A shoulder massage helped ease his tension headache."
verb
1
To rub and knead someone's body, or a body part, to relax or soothe it.
"The therapist massaged my tight shoulders until I felt calm again."
"Could you massage my neck? It's been aching all day."
"He massaged her sore feet after the hike."
2
To adjust data or figures to make them look more favourable, sometimes dishonestly.
"The manager massaged the sales figures so the quarter looked better."
"Some firms massage their results before showing them to investors."
"The report was accused of massaging the unemployment numbers."
How to use massage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe physical act of kneading muscles, or figuratively, tweaking data to look better.
Common mistake
"Massage the figures" implies subtly manipulating data, often with a dishonest undertone — don't use it for neutral data cleanup.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
deep tissue massage
massage the numbers
a back massage
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Word forms
- Plural
- massages
- Third person singular
- massages
- Past tense
- massaged
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
After a week at the desk, a back _____ felt wonderful.
Etymology
From French massage, from masser, "to massage," possibly borrowed from Arabic massa, "to touch," or from Portuguese amassar.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for massage
See all rhymes for massage →Frequently asked questions
What does “massage” mean?
The word “massage” means the act of rubbing or kneading someone's body to relax muscles or relieve tension. In plain terms, the physical act of kneading muscles, or figuratively, tweaking data to look better.
How do you pronounce “massage”?
“Massage” is pronounced MA-sahzh (/məˈsɑ(d)ʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “massage” in a sentence?
Here is “massage” used in a sentence: “She booked a massage after the long flight.”
What part of speech is “massage”?
Depending on how it is used, “massage” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “massage” come from?
The word “massage” comes from French. From French massage, from masser, "to massage," possibly borrowed from Arabic massa, "to touch," or from Portuguese amassar.
Is “massage” a common word?
“Massage” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “massage” have?
“Massage” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of rubbing or kneading someone's body to relax muscles or relieve tension.
What is the difference between massage and message?
A massage is the act of rubbing or kneading the body to relax muscles or relieve tension, while a message is a piece of information you send or leave for someone. Only one letter separates the spellings, so they are frequently confused in typing. Remember: you send a message but give a massage.
Do you give a massage or do a massage?
The idiomatic verb is give: you give someone a massage, and the receiver gets or has a massage. "Do a massage" is not standard English, though "book a massage" and "offer a massage" are also common. Massage also works directly as a verb: "she massaged his shoulders".
What is the difference between a masseuse and a massage therapist?
A masseuse is a woman who gives massages professionally, and a masseur is a man; massage therapist is the modern, gender-neutral job title. Many practitioners prefer massage therapist because it emphasises trained, clinical work. Massage itself names the treatment, not the person.
