Search

[kis] /kɪs/

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)
6.
to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion, etc.:
They kissed passionately.
7.
to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips:
They kissed goodbye at the station.
8.
to purse and then part the lips, emitting a smacking sound, as in kissing someone.
9.
Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to carom gently off or touch another ball.
noun
10.
an act or instance of kissing.
11.
a slight touch or contact.
12.
Billiards, Pool. the slight touch of one ball by another.
13.
a baked confection of egg whites and confectioners’ sugar, served as a cookie.
14.
a piece of toffeelike confectionery, sometimes containing nuts, coconut, or the like.
15.
a small, sometimes conical, bite-size piece of chocolate, usually individually wrapped.
Verb phrases
16.
kiss off, Slang.

Idioms
17.
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.
18.
kiss ass, Slang: Vulgar. to be obsequious; fawn.
/kɪs/
verb
1.
(transitive) to touch with the lips or press the lips against as an expression of love, greeting, respect, etc
2.
(intransitive) 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
5.
the act of kissing; a caress with the lips related adjective oscular
6.
a light touch
7.
a small light sweet or cake, such as one made chiefly of egg white and sugar: coffee kisses
abbreviation
1.
keep it simple, stupid
v.

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”).

n.

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).

Related Terms

motherfucking

noun

kiss-off (1950s+)

Related Terms

butterfly kiss, french kiss, soul kiss

sentence

Keep it simple, stupid, or keep it simple and stupid (1980s+)
Keep it simple, stupid!

of affection (Gen. 27:26, 27; 29:13; Luke 7:38, 45); reconciliation (Gen. 33:4; 2 Sam. 14:33); leave-taking (Gen. 31:28,55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Sam. 19:39); homage (Ps. 2:12; 1 Sam. 10:1); spoken of as between parents and children (Gen. 27:26; 31:28, 55; 48:10; 50:1; Ex. 18:7; Ruth 1:9, 14); between male relatives (Gen. 29:13; 33:4; 45:15). It accompanied social worship as a symbol of brotherly love (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14). The worship of idols was by kissing the image or the hand toward the image (1 Kings 19:18; Hos. 13:2).