kiss

¹

[ kis ]

verb (used with object)

1. to touch or press with the lips slightly pursed, and then often to part them and to emit a smacking sound, in an expression of affection, love, greeting, reverence, etc.:

   He kissed his son on the cheek.

2. to join lips with in this way:

   She kissed him and left.

3. to touch gently or lightly:

   The breeze kissed her face.

4. to put, bring, take, etc., by, or as if by, kissing:

   She kissed the baby's tears away.

5. Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to make slight contact with or brush (another ball).

verb (used without object)

1. to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion, etc.:

   They kissed passionately.

2. to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips:

   They kissed goodbye at the station.

3. to purse and then part the lips, emitting a smacking sound, as in kissing someone.
4. Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to carom gently off or touch another ball.

noun

1. an act or instance of kissing.
2. a slight touch or contact.
3. Billiards, Pool. the slight touch of one ball by another.
4. a baked confection of egg whites and confectioners' sugar, served as a cookie.
5. a piece of toffeelike confectionery, sometimes containing nuts, coconut, or the like.
6. a small, sometimes conical, bite-size piece of chocolate, usually individually wrapped.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to reject, dismiss, or ignore:

      He kissed off their objections with a wave of his hand.

   2. (used to express contemptuous rejection or dismissal).
   3. to give up, renounce, or dispense with:

      Leaving Tulsa meant kissing off a promising job.

KISS

²

[ kis ]

noun

1. keep it simple, stupid: the principle that a product, service, system, etc., should be easy to learn and use.

kiss

¹

/ kɪs /

verb

1. tr to touch with the lips or press the lips against as an expression of love, greeting, respect, etc
2. intr to join lips with another person in an act of love or desire
3. to touch (each other) lightly

   their hands kissed

4. billiards (of balls) to touch (each other) lightly while moving

noun

1. the act of kissing; a caress with the lips oscular
2. a light touch
3. a small light sweet or cake, such as one made chiefly of egg white and sugar

   coffee kisses

KISS

²

abbreviation for

1. keep it simple, stupid

Derived Forms

• ˈkissable, adjective

Other Words From

• outkiss verb (used with object)
• un·kissed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of kiss¹

before 900; Middle English kissen to kiss, Old English cyssan (cognate with German küssen, Old Norse kyssa ), derivative of Old English coss a kiss; cognate with Old Norse koss, German Küss

Word History and Origins

Origin of kiss¹

Old English cyssan, from coss; compare Old High German kussen, Old Norse kyssa

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. blow / throw a kiss, to indicate an intended kiss from a distance, usually in bidding farewell, by kissing one's own fingertips and moving the hand toward the person greeted.
2. kiss ass, Slang: Vulgar. to be obsequious; fawn.

Example Sentences

For many people, Thanksgiving means traveling or hosting family and friends, greeting them at the door with hugs or kisses, and then crowding together around a table to share a sumptuous feast.

From Popular-Science

Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, touch your pearls and blow a kiss.

From Washington Post

My mother let me sleep in, then woke me with a kiss before she left for work.

From Ozy

In return, she blew him a kiss and said “I love you” right back.

From Essence.com

Buoyed, Farah blew the audience a kiss, raised his arms, and started jumping up and down in place to keep the crowd going and warm up his legs.

From Fortune

He tries to kiss her again, but, he writes, “she didn't comply.”

From The Daily Beast

Joe Biden was there to ‘kiss the ring,’ while John McCain boasted of a record 101 appearances.

From The Daily Beast

When I tell her that Clooney is rumored to also kiss the Dowager Countess during the episode, she chuckles.

From The Daily Beast

He would pull her toward him, hug her, kiss her, and stroke her hair.

From The Daily Beast

There was a time when the love-struck couple would kiss in the pouring rain.

From The Daily Beast

She embraced Otteline; and gave him her hand to kiss, with repeated expressions of future confidence in the husband of her friend.

From Project Gutenberg

On the impulse he embraced her, and in the darkness found her lips, and the kiss was like a soul touch.

From Project Gutenberg

One more kiss at the carriage-window and the train started, for even Italian trains must start at last.

From Project Gutenberg

He longed for death with a full and yearning desire, and he could kiss the hand that would be merciful and give the fatal blow.

From Project Gutenberg

Leo II, pope, died; an able and resolute pontiff; established the kiss of peace at the mass, and the use of holy water.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• brush
• glance
• graze
• greet
• salute