foreplay

1. uncountablelifestyleThe acts at the beginning of a (usually human) sexual encounter that serve to build up sexual arousal.

   Root (Amy Acker): Hey, sweetie, you busy? / Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi): A little. Skip the verbal foreplay, Root. Why you calling? / Root: Can't a couple of gals take a little break from work to catch up?

   2015 January 6, Denise Thé, “If-Then-Else”, in Chris Fisher, director, Person of Interest, season 4, episode 11

   1 more example

   Actually in quick undressing or actual lovemaking modern nylons usually get ruined, but if you keep your nails and fingers smooth taking them off gently makes good foreplay, along with mutual undressing generally.

   1972, Alex Comfort, The Joy of Sex, Crown, pages 215–216

   Synonyms: contrectation, foresex

present singular third person foreplays · participle present foreplaying · participle past foreplayed · past foreplayed

1. intransitiveTo engage in foreplay.

   I decided, while we were foreplaying, that I must get a supply, just in case.

   2002, M. D. Bifford Debs, The Writer - Page 102

   2 more examples

   We grabbed each other, roughly kissing and tossing covers and pillows about in our frantic lovemaking. We foreplayed and foreplayed, teased and teased again.

   2005, Charles E. Schwarz, The Lonely Detective Gets Nasty and Other Murder Mysteries - Page 65

   While they were making love? It was true they weren't actually engaged in intercourse, but this certainly counted as foreplay. Iakovos stared down at her in complete disbelief. He'd never, ever had a woman fall asleep while he was foreplaying.

   2011, Katie MacAlister, It's All Greek to Me