knead
/niːd/ IELTSAcademic
verb
- 1.
To press, fold, and stretch dough with your hands until it becomes smooth and elastic. Bakers do this before making bread or other baked foods.
- Knead the dough for ten minutes.
- She kneaded the bread dough gently.
- You need to knead it until smooth.
- 2.
To press and rub a body part to ease pain or stiffness. This use is less common, but still natural in everyday English.
- He kneaded his sore shoulder.
- I kneaded my neck after work.
- She gently kneaded the tight muscle.
Adinary Nuance
Knead is more specific than mix or work. It means pressing and folding dough with your hands, not just combining ingredients. For pain or muscles, it is stronger and more physical than rub or massage. Use it when hands are doing repeated pressure.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- nhào bột
- Spanish
- amasar
- Chinese
- 揉面
- Japanese
- こねる
- Korean
- 반죽하다
Etymology
Knead comes from Old English cnedan, meaning “to press or work with the hands.” It has been used in English since early medieval times.
Common phrases
knead the doughknead thoroughlyknead by handknead until smooth
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is knead only used for baking?
- No. It is most common for dough, but it can also describe pressing muscles gently.
- What is the difference between knead and mix?
- Mix means combine ingredients. Knead means press and fold dough with repeated hand movement.
- Is knead a formal word?
- No. It is a normal everyday word, especially in cooking.
- Can I say knead the dough with a spoon?
- No. Kneading is done with hands, not a spoon or whisk.