fondle
/ˈfɒndəl/ verb, noun
Forms fondles fondling fondled
- verb (transitive) To touch or stroke lovingly. “Mothers fondle their babies.”
- verb (transitive) To grasp. “The lovers fondled each other.”
- noun A caress. “I gave the sleeping dog's ears a fondle as I walked past.”
Synonyms
dandle pet touch up clutch grab nim beclasp begrasp begrip belock clasp clench clinch cling enclasp fang glaum grabble grasp grip caress
Etymology
From fond (“love, admire”) + -le (frequentative suffix).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To treat or handle with tenderness or in a loving manner; to caress; as, a nurse fondles a child.
Etymology [From Fond, v.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “fondle”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details