Foreplay
Also known as warming upbuild-upgetting in the mood
Foreplay is the intimate build-up — kissing, touch, teasing, words — that increases arousal and connection before or alongside other activity.
The gist
Foreplay is everything that builds anticipation and arousal: kissing, touching, teasing, undressing, and talk. Far from optional, it's often where much of the pleasure lives, and unhurried foreplay tends to make everything that follows feel better and more connected.
Related
Teasing
Teasing is playfully building anticipation — through touch, words, or deliberate delay — to heighten desire before giving in to it.
Afterplay
Afterplay is the affectionate, unhurried connection right after intimacy — the counterpart to foreplay that keeps closeness going as things wind down.
Edging
Edging is deliberately approaching the point of climax and then easing off, repeating the cycle to build intensity and often a stronger release.