Pa. t. and pple. kissed (kist). Forms: α. 1–2 cyssan, 2–5 kyssen, 3–6 kysse, (4 kyse, kise, 4–6 kys, kis), 4–7 kisse, 4– kiss. β. 2–6 cusse, 3–4 kusse, 4 cus, kus(ü); 4–6 cus, kus, kuss, 9 dial. kuss. γ. 3–5 kesse, 4 kes. δ. 1 cossian; 4 cosse, 6 kos. Pa. t. 1 cyste, 2–5 kyste, kiste, custe, keste; 4–6 kyst, etc.; 4– kist; 3–4 cussede, cossede, kyssede, 4–5 -ide, -ed, -id; 4– kissed. Pa. pple. 1 cyssed, 4–6 (y)cussed, cossed, (i)cust, kest, kost, etc.; 4– kist, kissed. [OE. cyssan (pa. t. cyste, pa. pple. cyssed) = OFris. kessa, OS. kussian (MDu. cussen, Du. kussen), OHG. chussen, kussen (MHG. and G. küssen), ON. kyssa (Sw. kyssa, Da. kysse):—OTeut. *kussjan, f. *kuss-: see prec. Both vb. and sb. are wanting in Gothic, which has, in the same sense, kukjan (cf. E.Fris. kükken). Of the ME. forms those in y, i, were orig. Midland and Northern; of those in u, the earlier, down to c. 1400, had ü as regular southern ME. repr. of OE. y; the later (in u not ü) are to be compared with the form kuss of KISS sb.; those in e have partly e from ü as in Kentish; partly e as a broadening of i. The rare OE. cossian (pa. t. cossode), was a distinct formation, from the sb.; but the later examples (14–16th c.) of coss, koss, appear to be merely the ordinary vb. assimilated to the sb. in its vowel.]
1. trans. To press or touch with the lips (at the same time compressing and then separating them), in token of affection or greeting, or as an act of reverence; to salute or caress with the lips; to give a kiss to.
α. c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. iv. (1890), 166. He … ʓenom hine þa biʓ þære swiðran honda and cyste.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xix. (Z.), 122. Et osculor a te and ic eom fram ðe cyssed.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxvi. 48. Swa hwæne swa ic cysse se hyt is. Ibid., 49. He cyste hyne.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2355. Euerilc he kiste, on ilc he gret.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17649 (Cott.). He kist [Gött. kisced, Trin. cust, Laud kyst] þaim all.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Petrus), 111. Þan kissit þai ilk oþer sammyne.
c. 1400. Maundev., iv. (Roxb.), 13. He schuld kisse hir mouthe and hafe no drede of hir.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxciv. 170. He fell doune … and thryes kist the grounde.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxiv. (Arb.), 292. With vs the wemen giue their mouth to be kissed, in other places their cheek, in many places their hand.
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 187. Where perceiving a Crosse, he kissed it with tears.
1721. Amherst, Terræ Filius, No. 3 (1754), 12. He takes the oaths of allegiance and supremacy:… some have thought themselves sufficiently absolved from them by kissing their thumbs, instead of the book.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, VI. 208. Kiss her; take her hand, she weeps.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, ix. 9. Kiss his flowery face, his eyes delightful.
β. c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 145. Hie his fet … mid hire muðe custe.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 102. Ure Louerd mid his cosse ne cusseð none soule þet luueð ei þing bute him.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 310. Brut hire clupte and kuste [v.rr. cussede, kyssyd].
c. 1340. Cursor M., 5003 (Trin.). Þei him cussed swiþe soone And dude her sackes to be vndone.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 70. Þe lewede Men … comen vp knelynge and cusseden his Bulle.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 127. Oon þat hadde ycused [v.rr. y-cussed, kysshed, kisside] his douȝter in þe hiȝe weye.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 6. (St. Katherine, London) Euerich brother and suster … atte resceyuynge schule kusse eueri other.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 88. I crye the mercy, Lord, and thin Erthe cus.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., I. iii. (Arb.), 23. Ill chieue it dotyng foole, but it must be cust [rhyme must].
1567. Drant, Horace, De arte poet., B vj. Thou mightst … hugge, and busse, and cull, and cusse thy darling apishe fruite.
1825. Brockett, Kuss, to kiss.
γ. c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 117. Rih(t)wisnesse and Sibsumnesse kesten hem to-gedere.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24533. I kest him þan bath frunt and chek.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 6804. Þe Romayns þem keste, & wente þer weye.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xviii. (Egipciane), 1050. Zozimas ran To kes hyre fete.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 270. Thei kessiden the feete of the ymage.
δ. c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 566. Heo ða mid micelre blisse hit awrehte, and wepende cossode.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxvii. 27. He com nerre, and cossyde hym.
1555. Phaër, Æneid, I. 11. And swetely kost his doughter dere. [So 1584 Twyne].
b. transf. Of birds: To touch lightly with the bill by way of a caress.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. vii. (MS. Bodl.), lf. 117 b/2. Þe culuere is a lecherous bridde and kusseþ euerich oþer tofore ye tredinge.
a. 1529. Skelton, Sp. Parrot, 269. Now kus me, Parrot, kus me.
2. intr. or absol.: usually of two persons, in reciprocal sense.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9750 (Cott.). And dom and pes do samen kys.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 86. He said þan his avis, ‘Kisse & be not wroþe.’ At þe first þei kiste, as frendes felle to be.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 27. Therupon thei kisten bothe.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, II. vi. Whan they were mette they putte of her helmes and kyssed to gyders.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, V. iv. 339. To make a certaine sound with their mouthes (like people that kissed).
1660. F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 156. Then kissing in sign of peace.
1710–1. Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 89. Kiss and be friends, sirrah.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, VI. 271. Kiss and be friends, like children being chid! Ibid. (1850), In Mem., Concl. Farewell, we kiss, and they are gone.
b. trans. with cognate obj.; also, to express by kissing.
1830[?]. Tennyson, Sea-Fairies, 34. We will kiss sweet kisses, and speak sweet words. Ibid. (1864), Aylmer’s Field, 472. He pluck’d her dagger forth … Kissing his vows upon it like a knight.
1883. E. P. Roe, in Harper’s Mag., Dec., 51/2. Coming to kiss good-night?
3. fig. a. trans. To touch or impinge upon lightly, as if in affection or greeting.
a. 1420. [see 6 b].
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 872. As she runnes, the bushes in the way, Some catch her by the necke, some kisse her face. Ibid. (1593), Rich. II., III. iii. 191. You debase your Princely Knee, To make the base Earth prowd with kissing it. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., V. i. 2. When the sweet winde did gently kisse the trees.
1627. Feltham, Resolves, II. [I.] i. (1628), 1. When a Rich Crowne ha’s newly kiss’d the Temples of a gladded King.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, II. xi. The moonbeam kissed the holy pane.
1820. Shelley, Love’s Philos., ii. See the mountains kiss high heaven … And the moonbeams kiss the sea.
1829. Hood, Eug. Aram, xxxvi. While gentle sleep The urchin’s eyelids kiss’d.
b. intr. (in reciprocal sense).
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. vi. 11. Like fire and powder; Which as they kisse consume.
1818. Shelley, Woodm. & Night., 54. Where high branches kiss.
1847. Emerson, Poems, Hafiz, Wks. (Bohn), I. 478. Let us make our glasses kiss.
1870. Tennyson, Window, 24. Rose, rose and clematis, Trail and twine and clasp and kiss.
c. spec. in Bowls, Billiards, etc., said of a ball touching another ball lightly, esp. after it has struck it once, as in a ‘cannon’ at billiards. Const. trans. of the one ball, or (in causal sense) of the player; or intr. in reciprocal sense) of the two balls.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 60. At Bowles euery one craues to kisse the maister.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., II. i. 2. When I kist the Iacke vpon an vp-cast, to be hit away.
1873. Bennett & ‘Cavendish,’ Billiards, 181. If played a true half ball, the red and white will kiss and spoil the cannon.
1874. J. D. Heath, Croquet-Player, 35. The roll of pressure of the mallett must not send the rear ball so as to catch or ‘kiss’ the front one.
1894. Cornh. Mag., March, 275. The balls kissed and glided off gently at the exact angle required.
1897. Daily Chron., 16 Feb., 5/7. Roberts made a pretty cannon off the red, kissing the white out of balk.
4. trans. with adv., prep., or compl. To put, get, or bring by kissing: as to kiss away = to remove, put away, or lose by kissing. (lit. and fig.)
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., III. x. 7. We haue kist away Kingdomes, and Prouinces.
1820. Shelley, Sensitive Plant, II. iv. The morn kissed the sleep from her eyes.
1832. Tennyson, Miller’s Dau., xix. Dews, that would have fall’n in tears, I kiss’d away. Ibid. (1842), The Day-dream, L’Envoi iii. That I might kiss those eyes awake!
1856. Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, I. 52. Kissing full sense into empty words.
† 5. trans. To cause to kiss, fraternize or associate. Obs.
1562. A. Scott, New Year Gift Q. Mary, 127. Sic Christianis to kis wt Chauceris kuikis God gife þe grace.
6. Phrases.
a. To kiss the book, i.e., the Bible, New Testament, or Gospels, in taking an oath (cf. BOOK sb. 4 a). b. To kiss the cup, to take a sip of liquor; to drink. c. To kiss the dust, to be overthrown, humiliated, ruined or slain; to yield abject submission. d. To kiss the ground, (a) to prostrate oneself on the ground in token of homage; (b) fig. to be overthrown or brought low. e. To kiss the hand (hands) of a sovereign or superior, as a ceremonial greeting or leave-taking, or on appointment to an office of state under the sovereign; formerly, in complimentary speech or writing, merely = to pay one’s respects, to salute or bid farewell. f. To kiss the hare’s foot: see HARE sb. 2. g. To kiss (the) pax: see PAX. h. To kiss the post, to be shut out in consequence of arriving too late. i. To kiss the rod, to accept chastisement or correction submissively. † j. To kiss the stocks, to be confined in the stocks: so † to kiss the Clink, the Counter (see CLINK sb.2, COUNTER sb.3 7).
a. 1523. Fitzherb., Surv., 20 b. I shall true constable be … so helpe me god and my holydome, and kysse the boke.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 145. Come, sweare to that: kisse the Booke.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. vi. (1809), 235. After this the king or queen … shall say, The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep: so help me God: and then shall kiss the book.
1899. Besant, Orange Girl, II. xii. 255. After kissing the Testament, with fervour, he turned an unblushing front to the Prosecutor.
b. a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 3815. More is … honurable, a man compleyne of thrist, Than dronken be, whan he þe cuppe haþ kist.
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 25. Kissing the cupp too often.
1623. Cockeram, Delibate, to sippe, or kisse the cup.
1808. Scott, Marm., V. xii. The bride kissed the goblet; the knight took it up, He quaffed off the wine, he threw down the cup.
c. 1835. I. Taylor, Spir. Despot., x. 410. They will not be induced to kiss the dust before monstrous superstitions.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. lvi. 129. She had yielded, and had kissed the dust.
d. 1589. Pasquil’s Ret., B. Ouerthrow the state, and make the Emperiall crowne of her Maiestye kisse the ground.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 149. In the Church he kisseth the grounde with his forehead.
1782. Cowper, Boadicea, 19. Soon her pride shall kiss the ground.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 86. He went again to the King, and kissed the ground before him.
e. c. 1575. Diurn. Occurr. (Bannatyne Club), 332. The castell men kust thair hand with schutting of small artailyerie.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iii. 104. Thy thrice-noble Cousin, Harry Bullingbrooke, doth humbly kisse thy hand.
1654. Sir E. Nicholas, in N. Papers (Camden), II. 94. My sonne will kiss your hands in a letter of his owne by the next post.
1670. Lady Mary Bertie, in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 21. The Dutchesse … presented mee to kisse the Queene’s hand.
1680. Lady Chaworth, ibid. 55. Mr. Vicechamberlaine … kisses your hands and begs your commands if any into France sudainly.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4722/2. He had this Day the Honour of kissing Her Majesty’s Hand.
1768. in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury, I. 159. I had intended to set off, as soon as I could kiss hands.
1809. G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 434. The Marquis could not kiss hands for the Seals.
1854. Cdl. Wiseman, Fabiola, II. xxx. 325. Fulvius … kissed the emperor’s hand and slowly retired.
h. c. 1515. Barclay, Egloges, ii. (1570), B iv/2. Thou shalt lose thy meat and kisse the post.
1600. Heywood, 1st Pt. Edw. IV., Wks. 1874, I. 47. Make haste thou art best, for fear thou kiss the post.
1681. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen. (1693), 475. You must kiss the post, or hares foot, Sero venêre bubulci.
i. a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. (1867), 190. Yet he durst not but kiss his rod and gladly make much of his entertainment.
1628. Shirley, Witty Fair One, I. iii. Come, I’ll be a good child, and kiss the rod.
1774. Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), I. 271. If you will so far favour me, I will gladly kiss the rod.
1800. I. Milner, in Life, xii. (1842), 209. When the fits of illness come, I do not, I believe, properly kiss the rod.
j. 1575. Gamm. Gurton, V. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, III. 235. Well worthy … to kisse the stockes.
1588. J. Udall, Diotrephes (Arb.), 22. I will make thee kiss the Clinke for this geare.
1620. Rowlands, Night-Raven (1872), 11. You kisse the Counter sirra.
1626. Crt. & Times Chas. I. (1848), I. 157 (N.). Some constables, for refusing to distrain, have kissed the counter.
Hence Kissed, ppl. a.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 277/1. Kyssed, osculatus, basiatus.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 730. He … unto all doth yeeld due curtesie; But not with kissed hand belowe the knee.
1868. D. Cook, Dr. Muspratt’s Patients, etc., Milly Lance, ii. It was hard to say which was the more … confused, the kisser or the kissed.
