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 New York Times, the USA Today, the LA Times, the King Feature Syndicate, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the L.A. Times Daily, the Newsday.com and the Newsday.

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