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

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