# massage

/məˈsɑʒ/ (US) · /mˈæsɑːʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/massage
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. physical therapy

noun · CEFR B1

the action of rubbing or pressing a person's muscles to help them relax or to stop pain.

For teachers: the systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, typically used for relaxation or therapeutic purposes.

- After the long hike, a shoulder massage helped my sore muscles feel much better.
- The therapist recommended a deep-tissue massage to alleviate the chronic tension that had built up in the patient's lower back.

### 2. to rub the body

verb · CEFR B1

to rub or press someone's body to help them relax.

For teachers: to perform a massage on a person or a specific part of the body. Transitive, taking a direct object.

- She gently massaged her temples to try and get rid of her headache.
- The trainer massaged the athlete's calves before the race to ensure the muscles were sufficiently warmed up and flexible.

### 3. to manipulate data

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to change facts or numbers slightly so they look better or more useful than they really are.

For teachers: to manipulate or adjust statistics, figures, or data, often to present a more favourable or convenient impression.

- The company was accused of massaging the sales figures to impress their investors.
- The department was criticised for massaging the employment data to make the new policy appear more successful than it actually was.

Usage: Often used with objects like 'figures', 'numbers', or 'data'.

Teaching tip: This sense often carries a negative connotation of dishonesty or 'fudging' the truth.

## Examples

- A professional massage helps relieve the tension in my shoulders.
- After finishing the marathon, she booked a deep-tissue massage to help her sore muscles recover more quickly.
- Therapeutic massage is frequently integrated into sports medicine programs to improve circulation and facilitate the repair of minor muscular strains sustained during high-intensity training.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.