knead
knead Lexical Profile
knead Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To work moistened flour or clay into dough or paste by pressing, folding, and stretching it with the hands.
"You must knead the dough for at least ten minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic."
To massage or squeeze muscles or a part of the body with a rhythmic pressing motion.
"The physical therapist began to knead the tight muscles in the athlete's shoulders to relieve the tension."
• noun
An act or instance of pressing, folding, or massaging dough, clay, or muscles.
"Give the bread dough a quick knead on a floured surface before placing it in the baking pan."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'knead' with its homophone 'need' (to require something essential). In animal behavior, 'knead' also describes the rhythmic pushing motion cats make with their front paws.
• Rhymes for knead
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cnedan', of West Germanic origin and related to Dutch 'kneden' and German 'kneten', ultimately tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning to press or compact.