massage

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The action of rubbing, kneading or hitting someone's body, to help the person relax, prepare for muscular action (as in contact sports) or to relieve aches.

   “Having a massage can have many beneficial effects.”

   “During the long lapses in work common with on-location productions, Marilyn would silently meditate as Roberts provided a shoulder massage.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The action of rubbing or kneading anything.

   “The baker gave the dough one final massage.”

verb

1. (transitive)To rub and knead (someone's body or body part), to perform a massage on (somebody).

   “My neck doesn't hurt as much as it did last night since my wife massaged me after I got back from the concert.”

   “So after massaging a nude woman while being nude or nearly nude myself, sex is a natural way to end things.”

2. (transitive)To rub or knead anything.

   “Massage the kale to soften it before making the salad.”

3. (transitive)To manipulate (data, a document etc.) to make it more presentable or more convenient to work with.

   “News relating to public disturbances was systematically massaged [...].”

   “The Conservatives have massaged expectations down by saying they would be delighted with a majority of 1,000 […]”

4. (transitive)To falsify (data or accounts).