lick
verb (used with object)
to pass the tongue over the surface of, as to moisten, taste, or eat (often followed by up, off, from, etc.).
was licking
-
past progressiveof lick.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lynagh said he was licking his lips in anticipation of facing Ireland, who were hammered 36-14 by France on Thursday, in Dublin next Saturday.
From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026
Mateo Retegui - the man whose penalty was saved - was licking his lips at the chance to make up for it by heading into an empty net.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2024
Many of the songs curl into static or sonic distortion at the end, as if fire was licking at their edges.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 2023
The euro was licking its wounds too at $1.0517, having dropped to a nine-month low of $1.0488 in the previous session.
From Reuters ● Sep. 28, 2023
Barbarossa was licking a huge cone of ice cream without getting a single drop on himself.
From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke
