"petting" in the noun sense
1. caressing, cuddling, fondling, hugging, kissing, necking, petting, smooching, snuggling
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
"petting" in the verb sense
1. pet
stroke or caress gently
"pet the lamb"
2. pet
stroke or caress in an erotic manner, as during lovemaking
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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