Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

knead

/niːd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.57 in modern English

Syllables: knead
IPA: /niːd/

10

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To work and press into a mass, usually with the hands; especially, to work, as by repeated pressure with the knuckles, into a well mixed mass, the materials of bread, cake, etc.

Transitive verb

verb

To treat or form as if by kneading; to beat.

Transitive verb

verb

Of cats, to make an alternating pressing motion with the two front paws.

Intransitive verb

verb

To mix thoroughly; form into a homogeneous compound.

Transitive verb

noun

The act of kneading something.

verb

simple past and past participle of knead

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"Knead the dough by pressing down on it with the heels of both your palms and pushing it forward to stretch it, then pulling it back toward you..."
"I will knead him: I'll make him supple."
"Cats knead with their paws when happy, just as they kneaded when feeding from their mothers as kittens."
"One of the most characteristic things that cats do is ”knead,” pushing their paws alternately against any invitingly soft area of their human friends' bodies like a baker kneading dough."
"Why do cats knead? When kittens are nursing, they knead against their mothers' bellies to draw out milk. A relaxed adult cat kneads your leg or a couch cushion to show that he's happy and content, as he was when he was a nursing baby."
"Do not expect the dough to be very manageable even after a good knead."

Etymology

From Middle English kneden, from Old English cnedan, from Proto-West Germanic *knedan, from Proto-Germanic *knudaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gnet- (“to press together”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: kneden, cnedan, *knedan, *knudaną, *gnet-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /niːd/
British English: /niːd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

kneads (present, singular) kneading (participle, present) kneaded (past) kneaded (participle, past) kneaden (archaic, participle) knodden (obsolete, participle) kneads (plural)

Derived Forms

kneadability kneadable kneader kneadingly reknead unkneaded

Phrases

baking board

Frequently Paired Words

baking board dough

Synonyms

amalgamate make biscuits make muffins massage rub down work

Homonyms

kneed need ned

Rhymes With

need speed agreed indeed feed we'd seed succeed guaranteed weed she'd proceed

Questions

How do you pronounce knead?: The recorded pronunciation is /niːd/.
What does knead mean?: To work and press into a mass, usually with the hands; especially, to work, as by repeated pressure with the knuckles, into a well mixed mass, the materials of bread, cake, etc.
Where does knead come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce knead

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “knead”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/niːd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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