Lick
verb
To move the tongue over the surface of something.
The cat licked its paws clean.
Often appears as...
- lick the icing
- lick the spoon
verb
To hit or beat someone.
He threatened to lick me if I didn't do as he said.
Often appears as...
- lick someone in a fight
- lick someone in a game
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
verb
To manage to deal with or overcome a problem or difficulty.
We still haven't licked the problem of air pollution.
Often appears as...
- lick a problem
- lick an issue
noun
A quick brushing or touching with the tongue.
He gave his ice cream a lick.
Often appears as...
- lick of ice cream
- lick of a stamp
noun
A short phrase in jazz or popular music.
He added a few licks in between the main chords of the song.
Often appears as...
- guitar lick
- jazz lick
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A place where animals lick for salt.
Deer are often found near salt licks in the forest.
Often appears as...
- salt lick
- deer lick
Usage tips
Neural
verb
To move the tongue over the surface of something.
The cat licked its paws clean.
Often appears as...
- lick the icing
- lick the spoon
verb
To hit or beat someone.
He threatened to lick me if I didn't do as he said.
Often appears as...
- lick someone in a fight
- lick someone in a game
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
verb
To manage to deal with or overcome a problem or difficulty.
We still haven't licked the problem of air pollution.
Often appears as...
- lick a problem
- lick an issue
noun
A quick brushing or touching with the tongue.
He gave his ice cream a lick.
Often appears as...
- lick of ice cream
- lick of a stamp
noun
A short phrase in jazz or popular music.
He added a few licks in between the main chords of the song.
Often appears as...
- guitar lick
- jazz lick
Usage tips
Technical
noun
A place where animals lick for salt.
Deer are often found near salt licks in the forest.
Often appears as...
- salt lick
- deer lick
Usage tips
Neural
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Sensation
Using 'lick' suggests a physical touch of the tongue, often associated with taste or grooming.
She licked the salt from her fingers after eating the fries.
Pro Tip 2/2Affectionate Gesture
'Lick' can express affection or care, similar to the way animals groom each other.
The mother licked her thumb before wiping a smudge off her child's face.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Sensation
Using 'lick' suggests a physical touch of the tongue, often associated with taste or grooming.
She licked the salt from her fingers after eating the fries.
Pro Tip 2/2Affectionate Gesture
'Lick' can express affection or care, similar to the way animals groom each other.
The mother licked her thumb before wiping a smudge off her child's face.
Pro Tip 1/2Physical Sensation
Using 'lick' suggests a physical touch of the tongue, often associated with taste or grooming.
She licked the salt from her fingers after eating the fries.
Pro Tip 2/2Affectionate Gesture
'Lick' can express affection or care, similar to the way animals groom each other.
The mother licked her thumb before wiping a smudge off her child's face.
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Video examples
Fatal Encounter with...
and mum turned round and began to lick the tiny fawn. It's a magical moment to witness. The licking helps clear the baby's nose so it can breathe and creates a stronger bond between mum and baby. It also helps suppress the smell of the birth fluids that could attract a predator. A minute or so later and the baby was already trying to get up on its feet, but these newborns are vulnerable,
Video examples
How the popsicle was...
It's frozen solid. But instead of throwing it out, Frank pulls the icy block of soda out of the glass by the embedded stir stick and, in a moment of vision, licks it. Delighted by his invention, Frank begins making the frozen treat for friends, and as he grows older,
Video examples
Who are you, really? The...
Extroverts, for example, I find intriguing. With my classes, I sometimes give them a basic fact that might be revealing with respect to their I tell them that it is virtually impossible for adults to lick the outside of their own elbow. Did you know that?
Video examples
Words worth knowing from...
motivated not by biology or by sociology or society but it's motivated by you needing to accomplish your own hopes and dreams if you can of course overcome another word that Brian little used lick behavior on the parts of
Video examples
Raising an Abandoned...
When baby mammals are hand-reared, you have to do everything that mum does, and that includes encouraging them to wee and poop. In the wild, they can't do this on their own, so mum helps by licking their behind.
Video examples
800-pound Best Friend PIPE...
the time amount line gave me a pretty good thrashing but hey if it's your passion you'll lick your wounds and turn the corner and that led me straight to Brutus here he is about five months old
Video examples
Wolves Defend Pups from...
these younger wolves are his pups from previous years in fact they still lick at his mouth to be fed like they did when they were small it's so rare to see this I feel very lucky
Video examples
Bats Dodge Crocodile...
skimming the river's surface with their chests is refreshing but more importantly it collects water in the hairs to lick off back at the roost and quench their thirst
Video examples
ONE HOUR of Amazing...
these younger wolves are his pups from previous years in fact they still lick at his mouth to be fed like they did when they were small it's so rare to see this
Video examples
Why Dogs Stick Their...
licking helps capture more of her alluring sin his tongue takes the order to a second smell organ in the mouth hardwired to the brain and tuned to
Video examples
Fatal Encounter with...
and mum turned round and began to lick the tiny fawn. It's a magical moment to witness. The licking helps clear the baby's nose so it can breathe and creates a stronger bond between mum and baby. It also helps suppress the smell of the birth fluids that could attract a predator. A minute or so later and the baby was already trying to get up on its feet, but these newborns are vulnerable,
Video examples
How the popsicle was...
It's frozen solid. But instead of throwing it out, Frank pulls the icy block of soda out of the glass by the embedded stir stick and, in a moment of vision, licks it. Delighted by his invention, Frank begins making the frozen treat for friends, and as he grows older,
Video examples
Who are you, really? The...
Extroverts, for example, I find intriguing. With my classes, I sometimes give them a basic fact that might be revealing with respect to their I tell them that it is virtually impossible for adults to lick the outside of their own elbow. Did you know that?
Video examples
Words worth knowing from...
motivated not by biology or by sociology or society but it's motivated by you needing to accomplish your own hopes and dreams if you can of course overcome another word that Brian little used lick behavior on the parts of
Video examples
Raising an Abandoned...
When baby mammals are hand-reared, you have to do everything that mum does, and that includes encouraging them to wee and poop. In the wild, they can't do this on their own, so mum helps by licking their behind.
Video examples
800-pound Best Friend PIPE...
the time amount line gave me a pretty good thrashing but hey if it's your passion you'll lick your wounds and turn the corner and that led me straight to Brutus here he is about five months old
Video examples
Wolves Defend Pups from...
these younger wolves are his pups from previous years in fact they still lick at his mouth to be fed like they did when they were small it's so rare to see this I feel very lucky
Video examples
Bats Dodge Crocodile...
skimming the river's surface with their chests is refreshing but more importantly it collects water in the hairs to lick off back at the roost and quench their thirst
Video examples
ONE HOUR of Amazing...
these younger wolves are his pups from previous years in fact they still lick at his mouth to be fed like they did when they were small it's so rare to see this
Video examples
Why Dogs Stick Their...
licking helps capture more of her alluring sin his tongue takes the order to a second smell organ in the mouth hardwired to the brain and tuned to
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Ted Yoho
American Politician
Having an animal that you fix, knowing that you saved its life or you saved a pet - Like on a dog, these little kids will come, and their dog is just ready to die, and you do something, and they leave happy. The kids are happy, and the little puppy is licking your hand. Those are kind of neat feelings.
Quote examples
Tori Amos
American Musician
In our minds, love and lust are really separated. It's hard to find someone that can be kind and you can trust enough to leave your kids with, and isn't afraid to throw her man up against the wall and lick him from head to toe.
Quote examples
Mike Wallace
American Journalist
There's nothing, repeat, nothing to be ashamed of when you're going through a depression. If you get help, the chances of your licking it are really good. But, you have to get yourself onto a safe path.
Quote examples
Medgar Evers
American Activist
I'll be damned if I'm going to let the white man lick me. There's something out here that I've got to do for my kids, and I'm not going to stop until I've done it.
Quote examples
Rose Kennedy
American Author
I am not going to be licked by tragedy, as life is a challenge, and we must carry on and work for the living as well as mourn for the dead.
Quote examples
Michael Landon
American Actor
Life has been good to me. It's not like I missed an awful lot. I had a pretty good lick here. Every moment gets a little more important.
Quote examples
Agatha Christie
English Writer
Dogs are wise. They crawl away into a quiet corner and lick their wounds and do not rejoin the world until they are whole once more.
Quote examples
Harper Lee
American Novelist
Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.
Quote examples
Chris Mullin
American Athlete
Sometimes a player can look like a million bucks on tape, but in real life, the kid can't play a lick.
Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
We made the buttons on the screen look so good you'll want to lick them.
Quote examples
Ted Yoho
American Politician
Having an animal that you fix, knowing that you saved its life or you saved a pet - Like on a dog, these little kids will come, and their dog is just ready to die, and you do something, and they leave happy. The kids are happy, and the little puppy is licking your hand. Those are kind of neat feelings.
Quote examples
Tori Amos
American Musician
In our minds, love and lust are really separated. It's hard to find someone that can be kind and you can trust enough to leave your kids with, and isn't afraid to throw her man up against the wall and lick him from head to toe.
Quote examples
Mike Wallace
American Journalist
There's nothing, repeat, nothing to be ashamed of when you're going through a depression. If you get help, the chances of your licking it are really good. But, you have to get yourself onto a safe path.
Quote examples
Medgar Evers
American Activist
I'll be damned if I'm going to let the white man lick me. There's something out here that I've got to do for my kids, and I'm not going to stop until I've done it.
Quote examples
Rose Kennedy
American Author
I am not going to be licked by tragedy, as life is a challenge, and we must carry on and work for the living as well as mourn for the dead.
Quote examples
Michael Landon
American Actor
Life has been good to me. It's not like I missed an awful lot. I had a pretty good lick here. Every moment gets a little more important.
Quote examples
Agatha Christie
English Writer
Dogs are wise. They crawl away into a quiet corner and lick their wounds and do not rejoin the world until they are whole once more.
Quote examples
Harper Lee
American Novelist
Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.
Quote examples
Chris Mullin
American Athlete
Sometimes a player can look like a million bucks on tape, but in real life, the kid can't play a lick.
Quote examples
Steve Jobs
American Businessman
We made the buttons on the screen look so good you'll want to lick them.
Example 1 of 10
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