knead

UK/niːd/US/niːd/

verbB2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,080 of 15,258leans spoken

Other forms: kneaded, kneading, kneads

To knead is to press and fold dough again and again with your hands. Knead for ten minutes, a well-kneaded dough, knead the muscle.

It develops the gluten into long strands, which is what lets bread hold the gas the yeast makes and rise at all. Ten minutes by hand is the usual advice. It also means to work a muscle with the hands, and cats knead with their paws.

Definitions of knead

1verbkneadTo press and fold dough again and again with your hands.B2+
“Knead the dough for ten minutes until it's smooth and stretchy.”
- Said"Knead it for a good while; your arms will hurt and the loaf will thank you."
- WrittenHe kneaded the dough with the heels of his hands until it turned smooth as a stone.
- UsedKnead on a lightly floured surface until the dough springs back.
- ContrastKnead, not mix. Mixing brings the ingredients together; kneading works the finished dough until it changes. mix →
- Not thisStirring batter is not kneading. Knead needs something thick enough to fold.
- Exchange"How long do I knead it?""Until it stops sticking. About ten minutes."
- SimplyKnead the bread. Push it with your hands.
Patternknead the dough · knead for + time · knead until smooth · kneading

knead is a working.

Remember it

Knead → the silent K of KNEE

Silent k, as in knee — and not need. Lean over the dough and press it with your hands again and again until it is smooth.

hooks ontoknee

Where it comes from

Old English cnedan, from a Germanic root meaning to press or squeeze.

Proto-Indo-European
*gnet- — to press together
Proto-Germanic
*knudaną
Proto-West Germanic
*knedan
Old English
cnedan
Middle English
kneden
English, today
knead

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”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in In the Kitchen

Practise this word

knead in the wild

Knuckling is another form of kneading but using the knuckles to knead and lift in circular and upwards motions.
Petrissage
When the beaters are replaced by a dough hook, a mixer may also be used to knead.
Mixer (appliance)
Lomilomi massage is a Polynesian method of kneading massage incorporating elements of indigenous religious beliefs.
Lomilomi massage
Similar to kneading is knocking back or punching down, which is done to the dough after proving.
Kneading
The dough is punched once or twice, after which it is kneaded gently for a short time.
Kneading

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Definitions of knead

1verbkneadTo press and fold dough again and again with your hands.B2+

“Knead the dough for ten minutes until it's smooth and stretchy.”

Said"Knead it for a good while; your arms will hurt and the loaf will thank you."
WrittenHe kneaded the dough with the heels of his hands until it turned smooth as a stone.
UsedKnead on a lightly floured surface until the dough springs back.
ContrastKnead, not mix. Mixing brings the ingredients together; kneading works the finished dough until it changes. mix →
Not thisStirring batter is not kneading. Knead needs something thick enough to fold.
Exchange"How long do I knead it?""Until it stops sticking. About ten minutes."
SimplyKnead the bread. Push it with your hands.

Patternknead the dough · knead for + time · knead until smooth · kneading

knead is a working.