—lick /lɪk/
noun (SPEED)
at a fair, great, etc. lick UK INFORMAL► F0 at a fast speed: » The trains go by at a hell of a lick.Thesaurus+: ↑Fast and rapid , ↑Short in timenoun [C] (TONGUE)
► F0 the action of licking something: » Can I have a lick of your ice cream?Thesaurus+: ↑Biting, chewing and swallowing , ↑Eatingnoun [C] INFORMAL (SMALL AMOUNT)
► F0 a small amount or thin layer: » The living room could do with a lick of paint.Thesaurus+: ↑Words meaning small pieces and amountsnoun [C] OLD-FASHIONED INFORMAL (HIT)
► F0 the act of hitting someone with something such as a whipThesaurus+: ↑Hitting and beating , ↑Punishing by causing painnoun [C] SPECIALIZED (MUSIC)
► F0 in jazz or rock music, a short series of notes played by one musicianThesaurus+: ↑Musical piecesverb (MOVE TONGUE) ↑Verb Endings for lick
B2 [T] to move the tongue across the surface of something:
» He licked the chocolate off his fingers.» She licked the stamps and stuck them on the parcel.Thesaurus+: ↑Biting, chewing and swallowing , ↑EatingF0 [T, I + prep] If flames or waves lick something, they pass over it quickly or touch it lightly like a tongue:
» Within a few seconds flames were licking at the curtains.Thesaurus+: ↑Touching and feeling , ↑Showing affection• • •
Extra Examples:» Lick the envelope and seal it.» They licked their lollies.» We ate the cakes and licked our fingers.» They licked water from the window panes.» The cat licked its kittens clean.verb [T] INFORMAL (DEFEAT) ↑Verb Endings for lick
► F0 to defeat easily in a competition, fight, etc.: » We'll lick the other teams.Thesaurus+: ↑Winning and defeating , ↑Scoring, winning and losing in sport- beneath
- beneath your dignity
- Benedictine
- benedictine
- benediction
- benefactor
- beneficent
- beneficial
- beneficiary
- benefit
- benefits package
- be neither fish nor fowl
- be neither here nor there
- be neither one thing nor the other
- benevolence
- benevolent
- benevolently
- benevolent society
- be news to sb
- be new to this game
- be next door to sth
- benighted
- benign
- benignly
- benny