heavy petting
Passionate physical intimacy
Heavy petting is sexual activity that stops short of intercourse—typically mutual touching of genitals or other erogenous zones.
The term emerged in mid-20th-century American culture to distinguish more intense physical intimacy from lighter forms like kissing or hand-holding: They were heavy petting in the back seat.
The phrase sounds somewhat dated now, replaced by vaguer terms like "fooling around."
- caressingTouching with affection
- kissingLip-to-lip contact
- desireIntense wanting
- strokingRubbing softly, repeatedly
- tabooCultural or social prohibition
romance · back seat · parked car · courtship · passion · consent · permissiveness · embracing · prudishness · modesty · second base · third base · fooling around · necking · affection · fondling · eroticism · sexual tension
- intimacykiss, hug, embrace, closeness, snuggling
- kisseskiss, peck, smooch, snog, buss
- innuendoinnuendo, sexual innuendo, double entendre, double meaning, implied meaning
heavy pettingabstinence
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
celibacy · chastity · holding hands · going all the way · sexual intercourse
heavy pettingfirst base
Diamond's rightfield corner bag
courtly love · no touching · home run · going all the way · sleeping together
heavy, petting, heavier, heaviest, heavily, heaviness, petted