Definition of a lick and a promise
1
US
: a quick and careless attempt to do something
They gave the budget problems a lick and a promise and then moved on to the next issue.
2
British
: the act of washing something quickly or carelessly
He gave the car a lick and a promise.
Learn More About a lick and a promise
Statistics for a lick and a promise
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“A lick and a promise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20lick%20and%20a%20promise. Accessed 23 Jun. 2021.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Return of Name that Color!
-
- Name that color:
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Return of Name that Color!
Additional colors! More obscure than before!
Take the quiz -
Name that Thing: Dog Breeds
Can you correctly identify these breeds?
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question ...
Take the quiz -
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share a lick and a promise