fondle
verb /ˈfɒndl/
/ˈfɑːndl/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they fondle | /ˈfɒndl/ /ˈfɑːndl/ |
| he / she / it fondles | /ˈfɒndlz/ /ˈfɑːndlz/ |
| past simple fondled | /ˈfɒndld/ /ˈfɑːndld/ |
| past participle fondled | /ˈfɒndld/ /ˈfɑːndld/ |
| -ing form fondling | /ˈfɒndlɪŋ/ /ˈfɑːndlɪŋ/ |
- fondle somebody/something to touch and move your hand gently over somebody/something, especially in a sexual way, or in order to show love synonym caress
- He kissed and fondled her face and neck.
- She fondled the dog’s ears affectionately.
Word Originlate 17th cent. (in the sense ‘pamper’): back-formation from obsolete fondling ‘much-loved or petted person’, from fond + -ling.