to pass the tongue over the surface of, as to moisten, taste, or eat (often followed by up, off, from, etc.): to lick a postage stamp; to lick an ice-cream cone.
to make, or cause to become, by stroking with the tongue: to lick a spoon clean.
(of waves, flames, etc.) to pass or play lightly over: The flame licked the dry timber.
Informal.
to hit or beat, especially as a punishment; thrash; whip.
to overcome or defeat, as in a fight, game, or contest.
to outdo or surpass.
verb (used without object)
to move quickly or lightly.
noun
a stroke of the tongue over something.
as much as can be taken up by one stroke of the tongue.
salt lick.
Informal.
a blow.
a brief, brisk burst of activity or energy.
a quick pace or clip; speed.
a small amount: I haven't done a lick of work all week.
Usually licks.a critical or complaining remark.
Usually licks.JazzSlang. a musical phrase, as by a soloist in improvising.
Verb Phrases
lick up,to lap up; devour greedily.
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Idioms for lick
last licks, a final turn or opportunity: We got in our last licks on the tennis court before the vacation ended.
lick and a promise, a hasty and perfunctory performance in doing something: I didn't have time to clean thoroughly, so I gave the room a lick and a promise.
lick ass, Slang: Vulgar. kiss (def. 18).
lick into shape, Informal. to bring to completion or perfection through discipline, hard work, etc.: They needed another rehearsal to lick the production into shape.
lick one's chops. chop3 (def. 7).
lick one's wounds. wound1 (def. 6).
lick the dust. dust (def. 24).
Origin of lick
before 1000; Middle English; Old English liccian, cognate with Old Saxon liccōn,Old High German leckōn; akin to Go bilaigon,Latin lingere,Greek leíchein to lick (up)
Another intriguing fact about the original is that Sam Levene, who played Nathan, couldn't sing a lick and said so.
New York’s Greatest Show Or How They Did Not Screw Up ‘Guys and Dolls’|Ross Wetzsteon|April 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I can still see the lick Marshall put on Ferguson,” said Ditka.
The Hit Heard Around the World|Rich Cohen|November 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Both peoples need time to lick their wounds, get to know each other as something other than Evil, and build (yes) confidence.
Why I'm Still a Two Stater|Emily L. Hauser|June 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I relaxed, feeling that the trustees might want to retire from the battlefield to lick their wounds and reconsider their policy.
James Joyce’s Grandson Stephen and Literature’s Most Tyrannical Estate|Gordon Bowker|June 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A rat will push down his tail into the tall-shaped bottle of preserves, and lick it after he has pulled it out.
Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 701|Various
I believe we'll lick these fellows or come mighty close to it.
The Guarded Heights|Wadsworth Camp
That sort of I-told-you-so look that makes you wish you were big enough to lick him.
The Rushton Boys at Rally Hall|Spencer Davenport
When I used to lick you at school, who ever would have thought that I was thrashing a sucking statesman?
The History of Samuel Titmarsh|William Makepeace Thackeray
I hain't got a critter that won't come up by its name an' lick my hand.
Glimpses of Three Coasts|Helen Hunt Jackson
British Dictionary definitions for lick
lick
/ (lɪk) /
verb
(tr)to pass the tongue over, esp in order to taste or consume
to flicker or move lightly over or round (something)the flames licked around the door
(tr)informal
to defeat or vanquish
to flog or thrash
to be or do much better than
lick into shapeto put into a satisfactory condition: from the former belief that bear cubs were born formless and had to be licked into shape by their mother
lick one's lipsto anticipate or recall something with glee or relish
lick one's woundsto retire after a defeat or setback in order to husband one's resources
lick the boots of See boot 1 (def. 14)
noun
an instance of passing the tongue over something
a small amounta lick of paint
Also called: salt licka block of compressed salt or chemical matter provided for domestic animals to lick for medicinal and nutritional purposes
a place to which animals go to lick exposed natural deposits of salt
informala hit; blow
slanga short musical phrase, usually on one instrument
informalspeed; rate of movementhe was going at quite a lick when he hit it
a lick and a promisesomething hastily done, esp a hurried wash
Derived forms of lick
licker, noun
Word Origin for lick
Old English liccian; related to Old High German leckon, Latin lingere, Greek leikhein