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Word Study
knead
CIDE DICTIONARY
knead, v. t. [OE. kneden, As. cnedan; akin to D. kneden, G. kneten, Sw. kn, Icel. kno; cf. OSlav. gnesti.].
- To work and press into a mass, usually with the hands; esp., to work, as by repeated pressure with the knuckles, into a well mixed mass, as the materials of bread, cake, etc.; as, to knead dough. [1913 Webster]"The kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking." [1913 Webster]
- Fig.: To treat or form as by kneading; to beat. [1913 Webster]"I will knead him : I'll make him supple." [1913 Webster]
- To press repeatedly with the hands or knuckles, sometimes with a twisting or squeezing motion; -- performed for example on the body of a person as a form of massage. [PJC]
knead, v. i.
To perform movements like kneading, with the paws; -- said of cats, which may knead{3} a master's body when stroked, presumably a sign of contentment; as, a cat kneading and purring in his master's lap. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
knead, v.tr.
1 a work (a yeast mixture, clay, etc.) into dough, paste, etc. by pummelling. b make (bread, pottery, etc.) in this way.
2 blend or weld together (kneaded them into a unified group).
3 massage (muscles etc.) as if kneading.
1 a work (a yeast mixture, clay, etc.) into dough, paste, etc. by pummelling. b make (bread, pottery, etc.) in this way.
2 blend or weld together (kneaded them into a unified group).
3 massage (muscles etc.) as if kneading.
Derivative
kneadable adj. kneader n.
Etymology
OE cnedan f. Gmc
THESAURUS
knead
admix, alloy, amalgamate, bemingle, blend, block out, caress, carve, cast, chisel, coalesce, combine, commingle, commix, compose, compound, concoct, conglomerate, create, cushion, cut, ease, efform, emulsify, fashion, feel up, figure, fix, fluff, fondle, forge, form, formalize, found, frame, frictionize, fuse, gentle, hash, hew, homogenize, immingle, immix, integrate, interblend, interlace, interlard, intermingle, intermix, intertwine, interweave, jumble, knock out, laxate, lay out, lick into shape, limber, limber up, loosen, mash, massage, mellow, merge, milden, mingle, mingle-mangle, mint, mix, mix up, model, mold, mollify, nose, nuzzle, pet, plump, pulp, relax, rough out, roughcast, roughhew, rub, rub against, rub down, rub noses, scramble, sculpt, sculpture, set, shake up, shape, shuffle, smash, soften, soften up, squash, stamp, stir up, stroke, subdue, supple, syncretize, tailor, tenderize, thermoform, throw together, tone down, toss together, tune down, workROGET THESAURUS
knead
Mixture
VB mix, join, combine, commix, immix, intermix, mix up with, mingle, commingle, intermingle, bemingle, shuffle, pound together, hash up, stir up, knead, brew, impregnate with, interlard, intertwine, interweave, associate with, miscegenate, be mixed, get among, be entangled with, instill, imbue, infuse, suffuse, transfuse, infiltrate, dash, tinge, tincture, season, sprinkle, besprinkle, attemper, medicate, blend, cross, alloy, amalgamate, compound, adulterate, sophisticate, infect.Form
VB form, shape, figure, fashion, efform, carve, cut, chisel, hew, cast, rough hew, rough cast, sketch, block out, hammer out, trim, lick into shape, put into shape, model, knead, work up into, set, mold, sculpture, cast, stamp, build.Softness
VB render soft, soften, mollify, mellow, relax, temper, mash, knead, squash, bend, yield, relent, relax, give, plasticize'.Also see definition of "knead" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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