kiss

[kis]

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verb (used with object)

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.

to join lips with in this way: She kissed him and left.

to touch gently or lightly: The breeze kissed her face.

to put, bring, take, etc., by, or as if by, kissing: She kissed the baby's tears away.

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

verb (used without object)

to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion, etc.: They kissed passionately.

to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips: They kissed goodbye at the station.

to purse and then part the lips, emitting a smacking sound, as in kissing someone.

Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to carom gently off or touch another ball.

noun

an act or instance of kissing.

a slight touch or contact.

Billiards, Pool. the slight touch of one ball by another.

a baked confection of egg whites and confectioners' sugar, served as a cookie.

a piece of toffeelike confectionery, sometimes containing nuts, coconut, or the like.

a small, sometimes conical, bite-size piece of chocolate, usually individually wrapped.

Verb Phrases

kiss off, Slang.

to reject, dismiss, or ignore: He kissed off their objections with a wave of his hand.
(used to express contemptuous rejection or dismissal).
to give up, renounce, or dispense with: Leaving Tulsa meant kissing off a promising job.

Nearby words

Idioms

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.

kiss ass, Slang: Vulgar. to be obsequious; fawn.

Origin of kiss

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

Related formsout·kiss, verb (used with object)un·kissed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for kissing

“Simple joys of life—hugging, kissing, coloring—they have been taken away,” she says.
The Radio Battle to Educate Ebola’s Kids|Abby Haglage|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dead bodies were to be covered in bleach, and typical burial rites of kissing and touching ignored.
The Original Ebola Hunter|Abby Haglage|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cranston said he actually was that character—“We actually had a kissing scene together!”
The Best Emmys Moments: Seth Meyers, Bryan Cranston, and a 'Seinfeld' Kiss|Kevin Fallon|August 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The washing, touching, and kissing of these bodies—typical in many West African burials—can be deadly.
Kissing the Corpses in Ebola Country|Abby Haglage|August 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Taylor Swift saw Selena Gomez kissing Bieber backstage at an awards show, and made a very obvious “yuck” face.
13 Celebrities Who Dissed Justin Bieber|Kevin Fallon|August 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Yes, poor stepmother," answered the little girl, stooping down and kissing her hand.
The Children's Pilgrimage|L. T. Meade
After kissing and hugging him, and calling upon him by name, she opened his mouth, and tried to put the food into it.
Sagas from the Far East|Various
For a while Janet submitted, and then, kissing her, gently detached herself.
The Dwelling Place of Light, Complete|Winston Churchill
The fellow actually went away simpering, and kissing his hand to me, with a falsehood on his lips!
The Newcomes|William Makepeace Thackeray
Then that proud and happy mamma took him in her arms and kissed him; and right in the midst of the kissing in walked Daisy.
Twilight Stories|Various

British Dictionary definitions for kissing

KISS

abbreviation for

keep it simple, stupid

kiss

verb

(tr) to touch with the lips or press the lips against as an expression of love, greeting, respect, etc

(intr) to join lips with another person in an act of love or desire

to touch (each other) lightlytheir hands kissed

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

noun

the act of kissing; a caress with the lipsRelated adjective: oscular

a light touch

a small light sweet or cake, such as one made chiefly of egg white and sugarcoffee kisses

Word Origin for kiss

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

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

Word Origin and History for kissing

kiss

Old English cyssan "to kiss," from Proto-Germanic *kussijanan (cf. Old Saxon kussian, Old Norse kyssa, Old Frisian kessa, Middle Dutch cussen, Dutch, Old High German kussen, German küssen, Norwegian and Danish kysse, Swedish kyssa), from *kuss-, probably ultimately imitative of the sound. Related: Kissed; kissing. For vowel evolution, see bury. There appears to be no common Indo-European root word for "kiss," though suggestions of a common ku- sound may be found in the Germanic root and Greek kynein "to kiss," Hittite kuwash-anzi "they kiss," Sanskrit cumbati "he kisses."

Kissing, as an expression of affection or love, is unknown among many races, and in the history of mankind seems to be a late substitute for the more primitive rubbing of noses, sniffing, and licking. [Buck, p.1113]

Some languages make a distinction between the kiss of affection and that of erotic love (cf. Latin saviari "erotic kiss," vs. osculum, literally "little mouth"). French embrasser "kiss," but literally "embrace," came about in 17c. when the older word baiser (from Latin basiare) acquired an obscene connotation. Insulting invitation kiss my ass is at least from 1705, but probably much older (cf. "The Miller's Tale").

kiss

Old English coss; see kiss (v.). It became Middle English cuss, but this yielded to kiss, from the verb. Kiss of death in figurative sense "thing that signifies impending failure" is from 1944 (Billboard, Oct. 21), ultimately in reference to Judas's kiss in Gethsemane (Matt. xxvi:48-50). The kiss of peace was, in Old English, sibbecoss (for first element, see sibling).

kiss

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of kiss

Examples from the Web for kissing

KISS

abbreviation for

kiss

verb

noun

Word Origin for kiss

kiss

kiss