massage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The act of rubbing and pressing the body to relax muscles or relieve pain.

   After the long hike, a massage helped her sore legs.

2. 2
   verb

   To rub and press someone's body to help them relax or ease pain.

   He gently massaged her aching shoulders.

3. 3
   verb

   To change figures or information slightly to make them look better.

   The company was accused of massaging its sales figures.

From French massage (noun), from masser (“to massage”) (borrowed around the end of the 18th century from Arabic مَسَّ (massa, “feel, touch”), or from Portuguese amassar) + -age. Cognate to German massieren.

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