kissverb
uk/kɪs/us/kɪs/A2 [ I or T ] to touch with your lips, especially as a greeting, or to press your mouth onto another person's mouth in a sexual way:
There was a young couple on the sofa, kissing passionately.
She kissed him on the mouth.
[ + two objects ] He kissed the children good night/goodbye (= kissed them as a part of saying good night/goodbye).
[ T ] literary to gently touch something:
The breeze/sun kissed her bare shoulders.
kiss sth better
If you tell a child you will kiss a part of the body that hurts better, you mean you will make it feel better by kissing it:
"Mummy, I hurt my knee." "Come here, darling, and let me kiss it better."
More examples
- She leaned forward to kiss him but he evaded her by pretending to sneeze.
- She pulled away just as he was about to kiss her.
- He leant forward to kiss her and she recoiled in horror.
- She recalled with a shudder how her boss had once tried to kiss her.
- A beautiful girl would have to kiss him to break the spell.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Showing affection
- affectionate
- bear hug
- canoodle
- caress
- chuck
- chuck sb under the chin idiom
- cuddle up
- cuddly
- demonstrative
- embrace
- fall into sb's arms idiom
- fondle
- gather
- hold
- man hug
- mwah
- nurse
- nuzzle
- smack
- touchy-feely
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Touching & feeling
Medical treatment: treating & caring for people
Idiom(s)
kiss and tell
kiss sb's arse
kiss ass
kiss sth goodbye
kiss my arse!
Phrasal verb(s)
kiss sth off
kiss sb/sth off
kissnoun [ C ]
uk/kɪs/us/kɪs/A2 an act of kissing someone:
Give your granny a kiss.
a kiss on the lips
More examples
- She gave him a long, lingering kiss.
- Come over here and give me a kiss, you big lug.
- He planted a kiss on her forehead.
- Then she put her arm round my shoulder and gave me a kiss.
- Sleeping Beauty lay under the wicked fairy's spell until the prince woke her with a kiss.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Showing affection
- affectionate
- bear hug
- canoodle
- caress
- chuck
- chuck sb under the chin idiom
- cuddle up
- cuddly
- demonstrative
- embrace
- fall into sb's arms idiom
- fondle
- gather
- hold
- man hug
- mwah
- nurse
- nuzzle
- smack
- touchy-feely
See more results »
Idiom(s)
kiss of death
the kiss of life