kiss

kiss¹ W3S3 [kıs] v

[: Old English; Origin: cyssan]

1.) [I and T]

to touch someone with your lips as a greeting, to show them love, or as part of a sexual relationship

▪ Maggie leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

▪ Georgina took him in her arms and kissed him on the lips.

▪ As they parted, Jim and Mary kissed (=they kissed each other) .

kiss sb gently/lightly

▪ He kissed her gently and stroked her hair.

kiss sb goodbye/goodnight etc

▪ Kiss Daddy goodnight.

2.) [T]

to touch something with your lips as a sign of respect

▪ She raised the crucifix to her lips and kissed it.

3.) kiss goodbye to sth/kiss sth goodbye informal

to accept that you will lose something or lose an opportunity to do something

▪ She knew if she concentrated on her marriage she could kiss her career goodbye.

4.) kiss sth better

spoken used, especially to a child, to say that you will take away the pain of something by kissing them

▪ Here, let Mommy kiss it better.

5.) kiss my ass

AmE informal not polite an insulting expression used to show that you do not respect someone

6.) kiss (sb's) ass

AmE informal not polite to be too nice to someone who can give you something you want - used to show disapproval

7.) [T] literary

if the wind, sun etc kisses something, it gently moves or touches it

kiss up to [kiss up to sb] phr v

to try to please someone in order to get them to do something for you - used to show disapproval

British Equivalent: suck up to

▪ If you say that, it'll look like you're kissing up to me.

kiss ²

kiss² n

1.) an act of kissing

▪ Do you remember your first kiss?

▪ Come and give your old Grandma a kiss .

a big/long/quick etc kiss

▪ a passionate kiss

2.) give sb the kiss of life

especially BrE to make someone start breathing again by blowing air into their lungs when they have almost ↑drowned etc

3.) the kiss of death informal

something that spoils or ruins a plan, activity etc

→↑French kiss,blow sb a kiss at ↑blow¹ (9)