a lick of paint

a (new) lick of paint

1. A fresh coat or application of paint. We'll have this place ready for you to move into in no time—spruce up the garden, wash the windows, and slap on a new lick of paint, and you'll be good to go!2. A refurbishment of something's aesthetic appearance. The car is a little busted up on the outside, but it still runs perfectly fine. It just needs a lick of paint, and it will be as good as new. The video game remake is really just the original game with a new lick of paint—the exact same mechanics, story, enemies, and environments, but with lovely new HD graphics.See also: lick, of, paint

a lick of ˈpaint

(informal) a coat of fresh paint: All this house needs is a good clean and a lick of paint.See also: lick, of, paint