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View synonyms for caress

caress

[ kuh-res ]

noun

  1. an act or gesture expressing affection, as an embrace or kiss, especially a light stroking or touching.

    Synonyms: hug, pat

  2. a light and gentle touch or stroke, or something that passes lightly over a person or thing:

    Let the gentle caresses of the music carry your worries away.



verb (used with object)

  1. to touch, pat, or stroke gently to show affection.
  2. to touch or seem to touch lightly:

    The breeze caressed the trees.

  3. to treat with favor, kindness, etc.

caress

/ kəˈrɛs /

noun

  1. a gentle touch or embrace, esp one given to show affection
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. tr to touch or stroke gently with affection or as with affection

    the wind caressed her face

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • caˈressingly, adverb
  • caˈresser, noun
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Other Words From

  • ca·ress·a·ble adjective
  • ca·ress·er noun
  • un·ca·ressed adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of caress1

First recorded in 1605–15; from French caresse, from Italian carezza, from unattested Vulgar Latin caritia, equivalent to Latin cār(us) “dear” + -itia suffix of abstract nouns; charity
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Word History and Origins

Origin of caress1

C17: from French caresse, from Italian carezza, from Latin cārus dear
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Example Sentences

While he does, my eyes caress the strange pop culture tapestry on display.

“His language in the hearing” to describe the choking “was that it was a ‘gentle caress,’” Sclove remembered.

Kopin said the interchange was nothing more than a “gentle caress.”

But they looked really into each other—they held hands and kissed, and I saw Chris caress her cheek.

Free traders get up and fetch the bottle of scotch so that they can at least caress the neck.

The action was at first a little confusing to Edna, but she soon lent herself readily to the Creole's gentle caress.

Each word was a caress, each syllable alive with interest, sympathy, excited anticipation.

He did not caress it; she once heard him sighing over it; and he never announced it in the newspapers.

He kissed her with a degree of passion which had not before entered into his caress, and strained her to him.

And yet he heard songs that sounded like a caress and his whole being was permeated by a sense of delicious freshness.

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