osculation
(ɒskjuːˈleɪʃən)
[ad. L. osculātiōn-em, n. of action from osculārī to kiss, osculate. So F. osculation (15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).]
1. The action of kissing, a kiss.
| 1658 Phillips, Osculation, a kissing or imbracing. 1715 tr. Pancirollus' Rerum Mem. I. iv. iv. 164 This Ceremony of Osculation was esteem'd such an Honour. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes I. xxiii. 220 If osculation is a mark of love, surely Mrs. Mack is the best of mothers. 1858 ― Virgin. (1879) I. 375 And here, I suppose, follow osculations between the sisters. 1865 Sat. Rev. 23 Dec. 779/1 Promiscuous osculation is the last thing he dreams of. |
2. Close contact: a. in general sense. b. Anat. The mutual contact of bloodvessels. c. Geom. Contact of a higher order; the fact of touching at three or more coincident points: see osculate v. 4.
| 1669 W. Simpson Hydrol. Chym. 130 The osculations of the vessels of the womb. 1671 Grew Anat. Plants ii. §15 These Osculations of the Lignous Body, and so the interception of the Insertions of the Cortical, are not to be observ'd by the traverse cut of the Root. 1798 Frere & Canning Loves of Triangles i. 10 in Anti-Jacobin, No Circles join in osculation sweet! 1816 tr. Lacroix's Diff. & Int. Calculus 116 Called the contact of osculation. 1838 Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. I. 37 Formation of ring or instant of osculation of limbs. 1860 Farrar Orig. Lang. ix. 202 Are there any points of osculation between the languages of these three great distinct families? |