in Comb., forming sbs. and adjs. [Kiss is the imperative or stem of the vb.] † Kiss-cheeks a., kissing or lightly touching the cheeks; † kiss-cloud a., so high as to ‘kiss’ or touch the clouds, cloud-kissing; kiss-cow a., that kisses the cow for the sake of the milk, that stoops to indignities for a consideration; kiss-me, local name for the wild heartsease; also, for London Pride, Herb Robert, and Spur Valerian (Centranthus ruber) (H. Friend, Devonsh. Plant Names, 1882); kiss-me-at (or behind)-the-(garden-)gate, the cultivated heartsease, also London Pride; kiss-me-ere-I-rise, heartsease; kiss-me-twice-before-I-rise, Love-in-a-mist, Nigella damascena; kiss-my-loof (Sc.), a person given to compliment (cf. KISS v. 6 e); kiss-sky a., so high as to ‘kiss’ or touch the sky. See also KISS-IN-THE-RING, KISS-ME-QUICK.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 85. In rowes of *Kisse-cheeks teares they raine.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. III. Law, 234. Driving forth to *kisse-cloud Sina’s foot His fleecy Flock.
1840. New Monthly Mag., LVIII. 498. If we are … to allow that the hope of living renowned in story is a sufficient motive for all sorts of despised labours … we have no such *kiss-cow tastes.
1877. N. W. Linc. Gloss., *Kiss-me, the wild heart’s-ease.
1787. Withering, Brit. Plants (1796), II. 262. Viola tricolor … Heart’s ease … *Kiss me at the garden gate.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Kiss-me-at-the-garden-gate.
1884. Black, Jud. Shaks., vii. Did you never hear it called ‘Kiss-me-at-the-gate’?
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, App., *Kisse me ere I rise is Pansies.
1664. R. Turner, Botanol., 223. [Nigella] is also called … of some, *Kiss me twice before I rise.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, 97. [The smuggler shouted] ‘such a set of *kiss-my loofs, you king’s men!’
1603. Fairfax, Eclogues, iv. Cypress with his *kiss-sky tops.
