lick

American  

[lik] / lɪk /

verb (used with object)

• licks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• licked,
  past participle,  past
• licking
  present participle

1. to pass the tongue over the surface of, as to moisten, taste, or eat (often followed by up, off, from, etc.).

   to lick a postage stamp; to lick an ice-cream cone.

2. to make, or cause to become, by stroking with the tongue.

   to lick a spoon clean.

3. (of waves, flames, etc.) to pass or play lightly over.

   The flame licked the dry timber.

4. Informal.

   1. to hit or beat, especially as a punishment; thrash; whip.

   2. to overcome or defeat, as in a fight, game, or contest.

   3. to outdo or surpass.

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verb (used without object)

• licks,
  present (3rd person singular)
• licked,
  past participle,  past
• licking
  present participle

1. to move quickly or lightly.

noun

• licks
  plural

1. a stroke of the tongue over something.

2. as much as can be taken up by one stroke of the tongue.

3. salt lick.

4. Informal.

   1. a blow.

   2. a brief, brisk burst of activity or energy.

   3. a quick pace or clip; speed.

   4. a small amount.

      I haven't done a lick of work all week.

5. Usually licks. a critical or complaining remark.

6. Jazz Slang. Usually licks. a musical phrase, as by a soloist in improvising.

verb phrase

1. lick up to lap up; devour greedily.

idioms

1. lick into shape, to bring to completion or perfection through discipline, hard work, etc..

   They needed another rehearsal to lick the production into shape.

2. lick one's chops. chop.

3. lick ass, kiss.

4. lick and a promise, a hasty and perfunctory performance in doing something.

   I didn't have time to clean thoroughly, so I gave the room a lick and a promise.

5. last licks, a final turn or opportunity.

   We got in our last licks on the tennis court before the vacation ended.

6. lick the dust. dust.

7. lick one's wounds. wound.

lick British  

/ lɪk /

verb

1. (tr) to pass the tongue over, esp in order to taste or consume

2. to flicker or move lightly over or round (something)

   the flames licked around the door

3. informal (tr)

   1. to defeat or vanquish

   2. to flog or thrash

   3. to be or do much better than

4. to put into a satisfactory condition: from the former belief that bear cubs were born formless and had to be licked into shape by their mother

5. to anticipate or recall something with glee or relish

6. to retire after a defeat or setback in order to husband one's resources

7. See boot 1

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noun

1. an instance of passing the tongue over something

2. a small amount

   a lick of paint

3. Also called: salt lick.  a block of compressed salt or chemical matter provided for domestic animals to lick for medicinal and nutritional purposes

4. a place to which animals go to lick exposed natural deposits of salt

5. informal a hit; blow

6. slang a short musical phrase, usually on one instrument

7. informal speed; rate of movement

   he was going at quite a lick when he hit it

8. something hastily done, esp a hurried wash

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• licker
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• licks
  plural

Participles

• licking
  present
• licked
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• lick
  simple
• licks
  simple
• have licked
  perfect
• has licked
  perfect
• am licking
  progressive
• are licking
  progressive
• is licking
  progressive
• have been licking
  perfect progressive
• has been licking
  perfect progressive

Past

• licked
  simple
• had licked
  perfect
• was licking
  progressive
• were licking
  progressive
• had been licking
  perfect progressive

Future

• will lick
  simple
• will have licked
  perfect
• will be licking
  progressive
• will have been licking
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of lick

before 1000; Middle English; Old English liccian, cognate with Old Saxon liccōn, Old High German leckōn; akin to Go bilaigon, Latin lingere, Greek leíchein to lick (up)

Explanation

To lick is to taste or touch with the tongue. When your dog licks you, he's saying hello. Humans should opt for waving hello over licking. Animal mothers lick their babies to clean them, and adult cats also groom themselves this way. People generally lick things to taste them: you might lick an ice cream cone or a lollipop, or lick salt off your arm after a day at the beach. Colloquially, to lick an opponent is to beat them at a game or fight. In jazz music, a lick is a short burst of music, or a solo.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lick licks licked licking

"The two previous ones was a matter of letting him lick his wounds, but this one he came out and said I've had enough. He sometimes cannot help himself as he says what he thinks."

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

The constant mansplaining by Daemon about what it takes to be a strong ruler didn’t make a lick of difference, but it sure was annoying.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

In making “Never Be the Same,” Thompson wanted to allow room for the “devastating moment,” a point in a song where something unexpected can happen, “that one lick where you just melt.”

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Already, the club’s lush greenery looks like it could use a lick of paint.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026

TV shows and movies and books always have angry librarians following loud kids up and down, telling them to hush, but our school librarian doesn’t care a single lick.

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

But he’s loyal and playful and licks your face when he’s feeling love.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

He licks, he yodels, he sleeps on a purple pillow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026

And also, knowing that the challenges are going to come, and man, you're going to have to take your licks, you're going to have to take your licks.

From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2024

Diligent insect medics, with brains barely as big as the punctuation in size-8 font, were spotted carefully assessing the injuries of nestmates with a few gentle licks before operating with razor-sharp jaws.

From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2024

“I don’t like it,” says Mackenzie, passing with a spoonful of peanut butter that she licks like a lollipop.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Ending work with his label and group, the rapper left for Europe where he made wine, licked his wounds and worked on music in isolation.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Capybaras’ internet fame traces back at least to 2007, when Caplin Rous, a 6-week-old capybara, licked a camera.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

The pumpkin rice and peas, seasoned with thyme, from Dominica was a good complement to the Trinidadian curry shrimp, whose pot was licked clean.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

As the flames of the Palisades fire licked at his home, Ricardo Kawamura stood in his front yard watching smoke pour out of a second-story window.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025

She brushed her hands down her hair, licked her lips again, fiddled with her dress, and finally fumbled with her fingers.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Beware of lilies, which are toxic to cats; even chewing the leaves or licking pollen off their fur while grooming can be fatal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

And, notably, they eat Cane’s, whether it’s buying entire orders of just Texas toast or dunking their entire hand into a fountain cup of Cane’s Sauce and licking it off their fingers.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

One key area stands out where England are vulnerable, where elite opponents will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing Tuchel's side.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

Wall Street is licking its chops over an unprecedented slate of massive IPOs set to arrive in the coming months, beginning with Elon Musk's SpaceX in June.

From Barron's ● May 17, 2026

As the witch’s faceless head got closer, a flickering tongue pushed past the cracked mouth, licking the edges in anticipation as she closed in.

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Related Words

• caress
• fondle
• graze
• rub
• soothe
• wash