knead v
1. make uniform; "knead dough"; "work the clay until it is soft" [syn: work]
2. manually manipulate (someone's body), usually for medicinal or relaxation purposes; "She rubbed down her child with a sponge" [syn: massage, rub down]

Knead \Knead\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Kneaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Kneading.] [OE. kneden, As. cnedan; akin to D. kneden, G. kneten, Sw. kn?da, Icel. kno?a; cf. OSlav. gnesti.]
1. To work and press into a mass, usually with the hands; esp., to work, as by repeated pressure with the knuckles, into a well mixed mass, as the materials of bread, cake, etc.; as, to knead dough. The kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking. --Shak.
2. Fig.: To treat or form as by kneading; to beat. I will knead him : I'll make him supple. --Shak. Kneading trough, a trough or tray in which dough is kneaded. --Ex. viii. 3.

See more meaning on Knead...

Kneading is a process in the making of bread or pasta dough, used to mix together the ingredients and add strength to the final product. Its importance lies in the mixing of flour with water. When these two ingredients are combined and kneaded, the gliadin and glutenin proteins in the flour expand and form strands of gluten, which gives bread its texture. (To aid gluten production, many recipes use bread flour, which is higher in protein than all-purpose flour.) The kneading process warms and stretches these gluten strands, eventually creating a springy and elastic dough. If bread dough is not kneaded enough, it will not be able to hold the tiny pockets of gas (CO2) created by the leavening agent (such as yeast or baking powder), and will collapse, leaving a heavy and dense loaf.

Kneading can be performed with a breadmaker, a mixer equipped with a dough hook, or by hand. The dough is put on a floured surface, pressed and stretched with the heel of the hand, folded over, and rotated through 90º repeatedly. This process continues until the dough is elastic and smooth. The dough can then be allowed to rise or "proof" (also called "proving").

• Word of the Day | knead
  This word has appeared in 111 New York Times article in the past year. Read more on this news related to 'Knead'
• The Learning Network Blog: Word of the Day | knead
  This word has appeared in 111 New York Times article in the past year.         Read more on this news related to 'Knead'
• When you feel the knead
  It's evening at the Sun Spa Resort. My masseuse's name is Soong and she appears to be trying to break my leg. Read more on this news related to 'Knead'