Definition

1. Noun:

   • A light, gentle touch or contact: A brief, soft contact between two surfaces.
   • A small piece of candy: A bite-sized confection, often chocolate-covered.
   • An act of kissing: The act of touching or pressing with the lips as a sign of love, affection, greeting, or respect.

2. Verb:

   • To touch or press with the lips: To express love, affection, greeting, or reverence by touching with the lips.
   • To touch lightly or gently: To come into soft, fleeting contact.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • They said goodbye with a quick kiss on the cheek. (An act of kissing)
  • The collision was just a kiss of the two fenders. (A light touch)
  • She offered me a chocolate kiss from the box. (A type of candy)

• Verb:

  • Parents often kiss their children goodnight. (To touch with the lips as a sign of affection)
  • The gentle breeze seemed to kiss her face. (To touch lightly)
  • In many cultures, people kiss on both cheeks when greeting. (To touch with the lips as a greeting)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "Kiss of death": An action or event that guarantees failure or ruin.
  • His public endorsement was the kiss of death for the candidate's campaign.
• "Kiss and tell": To publicly reveal details of a private romantic relationship.
  • The actor sued the magazine for publishing a kiss-and-tell story.
• "Blow a kiss": To kiss one's hand and then gesture as if sending the kiss through the air to someone.
  • From the train window, she blew a kiss to her family on the platform.

Variants and Related Words

• Kisser (n): (Informal) A person who kisses; also, slang for the mouth or face.
  • He's a great kisser.
• Kissable (adj): Appealing and inviting to be kissed.
  • The baby had kissable cheeks.

Synonyms

• Noun (for an act of kissing): Peck, smooch (informal), buss (archaic).
• Verb (to touch with lips): Peck, smooch (informal), buss (archaic).
• Verb (to touch lightly): Brush, graze, skim.

Phrasal Verbs and Constructions

• Kiss away: To remove or soothe by kissing.
  • She tried to kiss away his tears.
• Kiss off: (Slang) To dismiss or reject someone or something rudely; to leave.
  • He just kissed off all our suggestions.
  • She kissed off her old job and moved to the coast.
• Kiss up to (someone): (Informal) To flatter or be obsequious toward someone to gain favor.
  • He's always kissing up to the boss.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• Kiss something goodbye: To accept the loss or end of something as certain.
  • If we don't get funding, we can kiss the project goodbye.
• Kiss of life: Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
  • The lifeguard gave the swimmer the kiss of life.
• Kiss the ground: To show extreme gratitude, relief, or submission by kneeling or prostrating oneself.
  • After the harrowing journey, they kissed the ground when they arrived safely.

Noun

1. a light glancing touch
   • there was a brief kiss of their hands in passing
2. any of several bite-sized candies
3. a cookie made of egg whites and sugar
4. the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)

Verb

1. touch lightly or gently
   • the blossoms were kissed by the soft rain
2. touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
   • The newly married couple kissed
   • She kissed her grandfather on the forehead when she entered the room