petting

verb form (-ing form of «pet»: pet, pets, petted, petting); noun (petting)

«petting» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Everyday

Stroking an animal gently and kindly. tree →
(as in «petting zoo») A place where children can touch and stroke farm animals. tree →

In the lessons

In lessons about pets and animals: ask the owner before petting a dog, let it sniff your hand first, stroke gently along the back, and stop if it moves away or growls. Wash your hands after petting animals, especially at farms and petting zoos. Phrases: «petting zoo», «petting the dog».

Examples

I love petting my cat. tree →
Always ask the owner before petting a dog. tree →
We went to a petting zoo and stroked the goats. tree →
Wash your hands after petting the animals. tree →
The dog rolled over for more petting. tree →
Stop petting if the animal walks away. tree →

Note

Doubles the «t»: pet, petted, petting. Never pet wild animals or a dog that is eating, sleeping or tied up.

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «petting» in the school dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«petting» in the school dictionary on Mova free.

This page in Markdown → https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/petting/