licking

[ lik-ing ]
See synonyms for licking on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Informal.

    • a beating or thrashing.

    • a reversal or disappointment; defeat or setback.

  2. the act of a person or thing that licks.

Origin of licking

1
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at lick, -ing1

Other words from licking

  • non·lick·ing, adjective

Words Nearby licking

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use licking in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for licking

licking

/ (ˈlɪkɪŋ) /


nouninformal
  1. a beating

  2. a defeat

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012