massage: Meaning and Definition of

mas•sage

Pronunciation: (mu-säzh', -säj' or, esp. Brit., mas'äzh), [key]
— n., v., -saged, -sag•ing.
—n.
  1. the act or art of treating the body by rubbing, kneading, patting, or the like, to stimulate circulation, increase suppleness, relieve tension, etc.
  2. attentive or indulgent treatment; pampering: ego massage.
—v.t.
  1. to treat by massage.
  2. to treat with special care and attention; coddle or pamper: The store massages its regular customers with gifts and private sales.
  3. to massage a bill through the Senate.
    1. to manipulate, maneuver, or handle skillfully:to massage a bill through the Senate.
    2. to manipulate, organize, or rearrange (data, figures, or the like) to produce a specific result, esp. a favorable one:The auditors discovered that the company had massaged the books.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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