His father threatened to give him a licking if he didn't stop misbehaving.
our team took a licking last night, but we'll get them next time
Recent Examples on the WebExcessive scratching and/or licking are among the first signs of allergies, according to the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital.—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 21 May 2024 Potential complications to itchy paws are secondary yeast and/or bacterial infections, caused by a breakdown of the skin’s barriers due to incessant licking or chewing.—Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2024 Lip licking causes a vicious cycle of licking lips to hydrate, only to dry them out more said Dr. Shayan Cheraghlou, academic chief dermatology resident at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.—Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024 For example, a sudden onset of seemingly uncontrollable licking of random surfaces can indicate gastrointestinal problems.—Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 26 July 2023 The toys seem to be pretty durable, maintaining their shape after hours of play, although the fabric’s colors did fade a little due to our cats’ excessive licking.—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 No bang, no whimper — just a bitter licking of wounds.—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 17 Dec. 2023 Paw licking is a common behavior among adult dogs that can indicate underlying issues.—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2023 The cat has a small spot of irritated skin — brought on by excessive licking and scratching — that needs to heal.—Cathy Free, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'licking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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