lick

1 of 2

verb

ˈlik 

licked; licking; licks

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to draw the tongue over

(2)

: to flicker over like a tongue

b

: to take into the mouth with the tongue : lap

2

a

: to strike repeatedly : thrash

b

: to get the better of : overcome, defeat

intransitive verb

1

: to lap with or as if with the tongue

2

: to dart like a tongue

lick

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an act or instance of licking

b

: a small amount : bit

couldn't swim a lick

c

: a hasty careless effort

2

a

: a sharp hit : blow

b

: a directed effort : crack

—usually used in plural

—usually used in the phrase get in one's licks

3

a

: a natural salt deposit (such as a salt spring) that animals lick

b

: a block of often medicated saline preparation given to livestock to lick

4

: a musical figure

specifically : an interpolated and usually improvised figure or flourish

5

: a critical thrust : dig, barb

Phrases

lick into shape

: to put into proper form or condition

lick one's chops

: to feel or show eager anticipation

lick one's wounds

: to recover from defeat or disappointment

lick and a promise

: a perfunctory performance of a task

Synonyms

Verb

• bash
• baste
• bat
• batter
• beat
• belabor
• belt
• birch
• bludgeon
• buffet
• bung up
• club
• curry
• do
• drub
• fib [British]
• flog
• hammer
• hide
• lace
• lambaste
• lambast
• lash
• lather
• maul
• mess (up)
• paddle
• pelt
• pommel
• pound
• pummel
• punch out
• rough (up)
• slate
• slog
• switch
• tan
• thrash
• thresh
• thump
• tromp
• wallop
• whale
• whip
• whop
• whap
• whup
• work over

Noun

• bang
• bash
• bat
• beat
• belt
• biff
• blow
• bop
• box
• buffet
• bust
• chop
• clap
• clip
• clout
• crack
• cuff
• dab
• douse [British]
• fillip
• hack
• haymaker
• hit
• hook
• knock
• larrup [dialect]
• lash
• pelt
• pick
• plump
• poke
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slug
• smack
• smash
• sock
• spank
• stinger
• stripe
• stroke
• swat
• swipe
• switch
• thud
• thump
• thwack
• wallop
• welt
• whack
• wham
• whop
• whap

Examples of lick in a Sentence

Verb

He licked the stamp before putting it on the envelope.

The dog licked at the plate.

She licked the sauce off her finger.

The cat licked the milk off her paws.

Flames were already licking the ceiling.

Flames were already licking at the ceiling.

Noun

Could I have a lick of your ice cream?

It just needs a lick of paint.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Most other social mammals groom by licking, but primates are unique among tetrapod vertebrates in our reliance on hands and feet for tasks many other taxa use their faces for, says Borths. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 21 Nov. 2024

Zia was licking herself and developing hotspots from itchiness. —Jen McCaffery, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024

Noun

By Charlie Campbell / Dhaka, Bangladesh November 21, 2024 12:00 AM EST Dhaka looks reborn after a fresh lick of paint. —Charlie Campbell, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024

He can be heard playing piano on the recordings of numerous scores featuring studio orchestras, including the famous driving piano lick in the Peter Gunn theme. —EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English liccian; akin to Old High German leckōn to lick, Latin lingere, Greek leichein

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Noun

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lick

• a lick and a promise
• lick and a promise
• lick one's lips
• lick someone's boots
• salt lick

Kids Definition

lick

1 of 2 verb

ˈlik 

1

a

: to pass the tongue over

licked the bowl

b

: to touch or pass over like a tongue

flames were already licking the ceiling

2

: to take up with the tongue

kittens licking milk

3

a

: to hit again and again : beat

b

: to get the better of

licking noun

lick

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act or instance of licking

b

: a small amount : bit

hasn't done a lick of work

c

: a hasty careless effort

2

: a sharp hit : blow

got in a few licks of my own

3

: a place (as a spring) having a deposit of salt that animals regularly lick

called also salt lick