kiss-
In Comb., forming ns. 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-curl, a small flat curl worn on the forehead, in front of the ear, or at the nape of the neck; 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. 111 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. |
| 1856 Punch 29 Nov. 219/1 Those pastry-cook's girl's ornaments called *kiss-curls. 1867 H. Spicer Bound to Please II. 15 Bob Jessamy..was nursing a kiss curl, though it hung limperer than what it usually did do. 1930 Daily Express 8 Sept. 3/6 Any kind of curls from Nell Gwynn ringlets to kiss curls. 1966 Punch 21 Dec. 933/3 ‘It's the little touches,’ he murmurs.., faintly disordering his kisscurl before pretending to be laid low by a heart attack. 1968 J. Ironside Fashion Alphabet 194 Although a kiss curl is usually regarded as being on the cheek, like a ‘confidante’, sometimes it can hang in the middle of the forehead. 1974 Guardian 27 Mar. 12/6 Haley..came on looking much the same as ever, the kiss curl immaculately in place. |
| 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. |