lick

¹lick

verb \ˈlik\

Definition of LICK

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 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

Examples of LICK

1. He licked the stamp before putting it on the envelope.
2. The dog licked at the plate.
3. She licked the sauce off her finger.
4. The cat licked the milk off her paws.
5. Flames were already licking the ceiling.
6. Flames were already licking at the ceiling.

Origin of LICK

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

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to LICK

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

lose (to)

Related Words

assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp; blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap; gore, lacerate, wound; maim, mangle, mutilate

Near Antonyms

fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

Rhymes with LICK

brick, chick, click, crick, creek, Dick, flick, Frick, hick, kick, KWIC, mick, nick, pic, pick, prick, quick, rick, Schick, shtick, sic, sick, slick, snick, stick, thick, tic, tick, trick, wick

²lick

noun

Definition of LICK

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

— lick and a promise

: a perfunctory performance of a task

Examples of LICK

1. Could I have a lick of your ice cream?
2. It just needs a lick of paint.

First Known Use of LICK

1603

Related to LICK

Synonyms

bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse [British], fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup [dialect], lash, ¹blow, 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 (also whap)

Related Words

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke; body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut; cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO; bastinado (or bastinade), battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing; flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

Near Antonyms

abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (also lashins) [chiefly British], loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth; volume; bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus; chunk, hunk, lump, slab