[syn: lap, lap up, lick]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Lick \Lick\ (l[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Licked (l[i^]kt); p.
pr. & vb. n. Licking.] [AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk[=o]n,
D. likken, OHG. lecch[=o]n, G. lecken, Goth. bi-laig[=o]n,
Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei`chein, Skr. lih, rih.
[root]121. Cf. Lecher, Relish.]
1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his
master's hand. --Addison.
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2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks
milk. --Shak.
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To lick the dust, to be slain; to fall in battle. "His
enemies shall lick the dust." --Ps. lxxii. 9.
To lick into shape, to give proper form to; -- from a
notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and
subsequently formed by licking. --Hudibras.
To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon. --South.
To lick up, to take all of by licking; to devour; to
consume entirely. --Shak. --Num. xxii. 4.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Lick \Lick\, n.
A slap; a quick stroke. [Colloq.] "A lick across the face."
--Dryden.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Lick \Lick\, n. [See Lick, v.]
1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. "A lick at the honey
pot." --Dryden.
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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.]
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A lick of court whitewash. --Gray.
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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. Called also salt lick.
[U. S.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Lick \Lick\, v. t. [Cf. OSw. l[aum]gga to place, strike, prick.]
To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to
whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. [Colloq. or
Low] --Carlyle. --Thackeray.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
lick
n 1: a salt deposit that animals regularly lick [syn: salt
lick, lick]
2: touching with the tongue; "the dog's laps were warm and wet"
[syn: lick, lap]
3: (boxing) a blow with the fist; "I gave him a clout on his
nose" [syn: punch, clout, poke, lick, biff, slug]
v 1: beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight;
"We licked the other team on Sunday!" [syn: cream, bat,
clobber, drub, thrash, lick]
2: pass the tongue over; "the dog licked her hand" [syn: lick,
lap]
3: find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand
the meaning of; "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" [syn:
solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, lick,
work]
4: take up with the tongue; "The cat lapped up the milk"; "the
cub licked the milk from its mother's breast" [syn: lap,
lap up, lick]