licking

[ lik-ing ]

/ ˈlɪk ɪŋ /

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See synonyms for licking on Thesaurus.com

noun

Informal.

a beating or thrashing.
a reversal or disappointment; defeat or setback.

the act of a person or thing that licks.

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Origin of licking

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

OTHER WORDS FROM licking

non·lick·ing, adjective

Words nearby licking

lick, lick-alike, licker-in, lickerish, lickety-split, licking, Licking River, lick into shape, Lick Observatory, lick one's chops, lick one's wounds

How to use licking in a sentence

With these devices, you can keep tabs on your pet’s activity levels, calories, distance traveled, and even behaviors such as excessive licking or scratching.
Keep your pet safe and sound with the best pet GPS trackers|Florie Korani|July 23, 2021|Popular-Science
If you have active kids or pets, or you’re just not particularly precious with your belongings, pick a hardy microfiber that can take a licking.
Best throw blanket: Cotton, cashmere, and more cozy, soft options for all seasons|Florie Korani|July 8, 2021|Popular-Science
Tim Mathern, a longtime North Dakota state Senator came to the event thinking that it was “all about licking our wounds.”
The Left’s Answer to ALEC|Ben Jacobs|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Marabella, now licking her lollipop and tapping her foot, appears unfazed.
Even Grade School Kids Are Protesting the Garner Killing Now|Caitlin Dickson|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Democratic pundits had spent hours licking their wounds vowing comeuppance.
The Booze That Saved America|Kevin Bleyer|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The mom was looking at her phone and the kid just started licking.
Dallas: A Journal of the Plague City|Pete Freedman|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She becomes obsessed with bodily fluids, often inserting her fingers into various orifices before licking them clean.
‘Wetlands,’ About A Bodily Fluid-Obsessed German Teen, Is the Year's Raunchiest Film|Marlow Stern|August 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The bear watched him narrowly with its wicked little eyes, though it did not see fit to cease its paw-licking.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
Cant expect money before its due, I spose, said the old man, licking his thin lips.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Somewhere in these woods he must be lying, resting those ponderous paws and licking his bloody flanks.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
With his head between his fore-paws and one eye closed, he watches the tiny tongue of flame licking up the last coal.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
He was at last discovered on the banks of the Ganges, standing near a human body, which he kept licking.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer

British Dictionary definitions for licking

licking

/ (ˈlɪkɪŋ) /

noun informal

a beating

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

licking

Origin of licking

OTHER WORDS FROM licking

Words nearby licking

Words related to licking

How to use licking in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for licking