kiss
1 Americanverb (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 phrase
idioms
-
kiss ass, to be obsequious; fawn.
-
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.
noun
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) lightly
their hands kissed
-
billiards (of balls) to touch (each other) lightly while moving
noun
-
the act of kissing; a caress with the lips
-
a light touch
-
a small light sweet or cake, such as one made chiefly of egg white and sugar
coffee kisses
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
- kissable adjective
- outkiss verb (used with object)
- unkissed adjective
Etymology
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Guardiola strode on to the pitch after the match and blew kisses in the direction of his family in the stands.
From BBC
The film’s big ending — where Andie finds Blane alone and ashamed at prom and decides to take him back, culminating in their final kiss — wasn’t part of the final script.
From Salon
He wished “to be shut out from the big world, gazing at your dark eyes …” Writing a letter in the midnight moonlight, she sent him “ten thousand kisses.”
From Literature
I was so pleased I could have kissed Old Rowdy, but he never did like to be kissed.
From Literature
“Wash your hands, wipe your feet, give me a kiss, sit down and eat.”
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
