kiss

[kis] /kɪs/

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 good-bye 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

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.

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.

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.

Origin

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 forms

outkiss, verb (used with object)

unkissed, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for kiss ass

kiss

/kɪs/

verb

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

(intransitive) 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 related adjective oscular

a light touch

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

KISS

abbreviation

keep it simple, stupid

Word Origin and History for kiss ass

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").

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).

Slang definitions & phrases for kiss ass

kiss ass

verb phrase

To flatter one's superiors; brown-nose: He likes to be perfect and kiss ass (1930s+)

kiss

noun

kiss-off (1950s+)

Related Terms

butterfly kiss, french kiss, soul kiss

KISS

sentence

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

Related Abbreviations for kiss ass

KISS

Keep it simple, stupid!

kiss ass in the Bible

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).

Idioms and Phrases with kiss ass

kiss ass

Also, kiss up to . Seek or gain favor by fawning or flattery, as in I am not going to kiss as to get the raise I deserve , or If I could find a good way to kiss up to the publisher, my book would be well promoted . The first, a vulgar slangy usage, was first recorded in 1705 as kiss arse , which is still the British usage. The variant, a euphemistic blend of kiss ass and suck up to , dates from the late 1900s.

Encyclopedia Article for kiss ass

kiss

a touch or caress of the lips upon the lips, cheek, hand, or feet of another to signify affection, greeting, reverence, or sexual attraction.

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