From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmassagemas‧sage1 /ˈmæsɑːʒ $ məˈsɑːʒ/ ●○○ noun [countable, uncountable] HBHMHthe action of pressing and rubbing someone’s body with your hands, to help them relax or to reduce pain in their muscles or joints Massage helps ease the pain. Why don’t you have a massage? Joan gave me a gentle neck massage.body/shoulder/foot etc massage A full-body massage lasts around one hour.
Examples from the Corpus
massage• Massage can help relieve stress.• Once a month, Mary gets a massage and facial.• For about a year afterwards Anna received aromatherapy massage whenever she felt the need - once, sometimes twice, a month.• In previous fasts, massage moderated his aches.• I immediately started giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart massage.• A half-hour massage is $ 30.• Treating yourself to a real massage is, of course, the ultimate indulgence.• Tennis courts, a fitness room, sauna, massage and beauty parlour are all available at a charge payable locally.body/shoulder/foot etc massage• Women's cut and blow dry varies from £10.50 to £15.95 but that includes a neck and shoulders massage.• The therapy aims to stimulate the nervous system by body massage and manipulation.• So which members of the Cabinet feel the need for his curative foot massage?• Facials, body massage, ear piercing - it's all on offer.• Having your neck and shoulders rubbed, or better still a full body massage, is a good investment.• A full body massage lasts around an hour and costs in the region of £25 to £30.• Even a gentle foot massage with lovely smelling oils, if he comes home stressed out, could lead to more.• Eileen, who is based in Birkenhead, Wirral, mainly practices reflexology which treats ailments through foot massage.massagemassage2 verb [transitive] 1 HBHMHto press and rub someone’s body with your hands, to help them relax or to reduce pain in their muscles Alex massaged Helena’s aching back.massage something into something Gently massage the lotion into your skin.2 CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTto change official numbers or information in order to make them seem better than they are – used to show disapproval SYN cook the books Myers accused the government of deliberately massaging the unemployment figures.3 → massage somebody’s ego→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
massage• We have become expert in the physiognomy of pleasure, the nodes to press, the points to massage.• Allow the water to cascade down up-stretched arms while you massage elbows and upper arms.• Try using a smaller amount, massaging it between your fingers before applying hair to ensure that it's evenly distributed.• He held his swagger-stick in his left hand and massaged it with his right.• Or: Youngest Daughter, massage my temples.• Helen leaned over and massaged the back of her neck.• Speech writers were busy massaging the facts to be presented.• I reached up to massage the sinews and tendons of her back.• I took off my shoes and rested my feet on her thighs as she massaged them.• Sometimes my father would explain how you should never massage to the heart.Origin massage1 (1800-1900) French masser “to massage”, from Arabic massa “to stroke” 