lick Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a salt deposit that animals regularly lick
    salt lick.
  2. noun touching with the tongue
    lap.
    • the dog's laps were warm and wet
  3. noun (boxing) a blow with the fist
    biff; punch; clout; poke; slug.
    • I gave him a clout on his nose
  4. verb beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
    bat; drub; clobber; thrash; cream.
    • We licked the other team on Sunday!
  5. verb pass the tongue over
    lap.
    • the dog licked her hand
  6. verb find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
    work out; work; puzzle out; solve; figure out.
    • did you solve the problem?
    • Work out your problems with the boss
    • this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out
    • did you get it?
    • Did you get my meaning?
    • He could not work the math problem
  7. verb take up with the tongue
    lap; lap up.
    • The cat lapped up the milk
    • the cub licked the milk from its mother's breast

WordNet

Lick transitive verb
Etymology
AS. liccian; akin to OS. likkn, D. likken, OHG. lecchn, G. lecken, Goth. bi-laign, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. , Skr. lih, rih. . Cf. Lecher, Relish.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Licked ; present participle & verbal noun Licking
Definitions
  1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand. Addison.
  2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. Shak.
Lick noun
Etymology
See Lick, v.
Definitions
  1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. "A lick at the honey pot." Dryden.
  2. A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied. Colloq.
    A lick of court white wash. Gray.
  3. A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; -- often, but not always, near salt springs. U. S. = salt lick
Lick transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. OSw. lägga to place, strike, prick.
Definitions
  1. To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. Colloq. or Low Carlyle. Thackeray.
Lick noun
Definitions
  1. A slap; a quick stroke.Colloq. "A lick across the face." Dryden.

Webster 1913