Light touches (4)

I think it could be either:

dabs

pats

'light touches' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

This is the entire clue.

(Other definitions for dabs that I've seen before include "Fingerprints (colloq.)" , "Applies light touches" , "Fish; fingerprints" , "fingerprint" , "Small quantities of liquid" .)

I've seen this clue in the L.A. Times Daily, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the USA Today, the Newsday.com, the LA Times, the King Feature Syndicate, the Newsday and The Wall Street Journal.

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