Adjacent Words

Lick definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LICK, v.t. [L. lingo; Gr. See Like and Sleek.]
1. To pass or draw the tongue over the surface; as, a dog licks a wound.
2. To lap; to take in by the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. 1 Kings 21.
To lick up, to devour; to consume entirely.
Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as an ox licketh up the grass of the field. Numbers 22.
To lick the dust, to be slain; to perish in battle.
His enemies shall lick the dust. Psalms 72.
LICK, n. In America, a place where beasts of the forest lick for salt, at salt springs.
LICK, n.
1. A blow; a stroke. [Not an elegant word.]
2. A wash; something rubbed on. [Not in use.]
LICK, v.t. To strike repeatedly for punishment; to flog; to chastise with blows. [Not an elegant word; but probably flog, L. fligo, is from the root of this word.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a salt deposit that animals regularly lick [syn: salt lick, lick]
2: touching with the tongue; "the dog's laps were warm and wet" [syn: lick, lap]
3: (boxing) a blow with the fist; "I gave him a clout on his nose" [syn: punch, clout, poke, lick, biff, slug] v
1: beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight; "We licked the other team on Sunday!" [syn: cream, bat, clobber, drub, thrash, lick]
2: pass the tongue over; "the dog licked her hand" [syn: lick, lap]
3: find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem" [syn: solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, lick, work]
4: take up with the tongue; "The cat lapped up the milk"; "the cub licked the milk from its mother's breast" [syn: lap, lap up, lick]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English liccian; akin to Old High German leck?n to lick, Latin lingere, Greek leichein Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. (1) to draw the tongue over <lick a stamp> (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 <has licked every problem> intransitive verb 1. to lap with or as if with the tongue 2. to dart like a tongue <flames licking out of windows> II. noun Date: 1603 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 (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

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. & intr. 1 tr. pass the tongue over, esp. to taste, moisten, or (of animals) clean. 2 tr. bring into a specified condition or position by licking (licked it all up; licked it clean). 3 a tr. (of a flame, waves, etc.) touch; play lightly over. b intr. move gently or caressingly. 4 colloq. a defeat, excel. b surpass the comprehension of (has got me licked). 5 colloq. thrash. --n. 1 an act of licking with the tongue. 2 = salt-lick. 3 colloq. a fast pace (at a lick; at full lick). 4 colloq. a a small amount, quick treatment with (foll. by of: a lick of paint). b a quick wash. 5 a smart blow with a stick etc. Phrases and idioms: a lick and a promise colloq. a hasty performance of a task, esp. of washing oneself. lick a person's boots (or shoes) toady; be servile. lick into shape see SHAPE. lick one's lips (or chops) 1 look forward with relish. 2 show one's satisfaction. lick one's wounds be in retirement after defeat. Derivatives: licker n. (also in comb.). Etymology: OE liccian f. WG

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lick Lick, n. [See Lick, v.] 1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. ``A lick at the honey pot.'' --Dryden. 2. A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied. [Colloq.] A lick of court whitewash. --Gray. 3. A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; -- often, but not always, near salt springs. [U. S.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lick Lick, v. t. [Cf. OSw. l["a]gga to place, strike, prick.] To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. [Colloq. or Low]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lick Lick, n. A slap; a quick stroke.[Colloq.] ``A lick across the face.'' --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lick Lick (l[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Licked (l[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Licking.] [AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk[=o]n, D. likken, OHG. lecch[=o]n, G. lecken, Goth. bi-laig[=o]n, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei`chein, Skr. lih, rih. [root]121. Cf. Lecher, Relish.] 1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand. --Addison. 2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. --Shak. To lick the dust, to be slain; to fall in battle. ``His enemies shall lick the dust.'' --Ps. lxxii. 9. To lick into shape, to give proper form to; -- from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. --Hudibras. To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon. --South. To lick up, to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. --Shak. --Num. xxii. 4.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(licks, licking, licked) 1. When people or animals lick something, they move their tongue across its surface. The dog rose awkwardly to his feet and licked the man's hand excitedly. VERB: V n • Lick is also a noun. Kevin wanted a lick of Sarah's lollipop. N-COUNT: usu sing 2. to lick your lips: see lip to lick into shape: see shape

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Pass the tongue over. 2. Lap, take up with the tongue. II. n. 1. Taste. 2. Blow, slap, stroke. 3. Salt-lick, saline, salt-spring.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

To beat; also to wash, or to paint slightly over. I'll give you a good lick o' the chops; I'll give you a good stroke or blow on the face. Jack tumbled into a cow t--d, and nastied his best clothes, for which his father stept up, and licked him neatly.--I'll lick you! the dovetail to which is, If you lick me all over, you won't miss--.

Moby Thesaurus

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