Definition of lick - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
actionstr./intr. move the tongue across a surfacetr./intr.
- The cat began to lick its paw.
2.
- She finally licked the problem with the computer by restarting it..
3.
flamestr./intr. flicker lightly over a surfacetr./intr.
- The flames began to lick the walls.
4.
- He whispered that he wanted to lick her.
Noun
1.
- He added a lick of paint to the wall.
2.
- The guitarist played an impressive lick in the middle of the song..
3.
bodyact of touching with the tongue
- The dog gave my hand a lick.
4.
animalTECH. spot where animals gather to consume mineral-rich soilTECH.
- The deer gathered at the salt lick.
Images of lick

spot where animals gather to consume mineral-rich soil
Expressions with lick
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to clean or remove something completely using the tongue
The cat licked up the spilled milk from the floor..
flatter someone excessively to gain favor
He would lick boots to get a promotion.
eagerly anticipate something desirable
She licked chops at the thought of the vacation.
use the tongue to clean food off fingers
After the meal, he licked his fingers clean.
move the tongue over one's lips in anticipation
He licked his lips at the sight of the cake.
act overly submissive to gain favor
He would lick the boots of his boss to get a promotion.
exert effort to transform into desired condition
The coach worked hard to lick the team into shape.
minor update to enhance appearance
The room looks better with a lick of paint.
minor improvement to make something better
The report could use a lick of polish.
use tongue to clean sides of mouth
After the meal, he licked his chops contentedly.
withdraw to recover from a setback or defeat
After losing the match, he went home to lick his wounds.
act overly submissive or flattering to gain favor
To impress the director, Mark would happily lick his boots all day.
perform exceptionally well compared to others
She licked the pants off everyone else in the talent show.
move tongue over lips and make a sound
He began to lick and smack lips after tasting the soup.
remove all dirt or residue by licking
The cat will lick clean its fur after a meal.
eat all the food on the plate leaving nothing
He licked his plate clean after dinner.
block of salt for animals to lick
The farmer placed a salt lick in the pasture.
act in a subservient manner to gain favor
She would lick the boots of anyone in power to climb the social ladder.
quickly paint something to make it look better
We gave the old fence a lick of paint.
artificial block providing minerals to livestock
Farmers place a mineral lick in the field for the cattle.
spout providing water to caged animals
The hamster drank from the lick spout.
hasty incomplete performance of a task
He cleaned the room with a lick and a promise.
moving quickly or at a good pace
The car was moving at a fair lick.
moving as fast as possible
The car raced down the street at full lick.
Origin of lick
Old English, liccian (to lick)
Terms with lick included in their meaning
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Examples of lick in a sentence
He tried to lick the stamp but it wouldn't stick. He licked the challenge of climbing the mountain. They licked the issue by working together. The fire licked at the edges of the old book. Sparks flew as the flames licked the dry leaves. She asked him to lick her gently.
He promised to lick her until she was satisfied. She didn't have a lick of sense about the situation. There's not a lick of truth in his story. She nailed the lick during her solo performance. The song's opening lick was unforgettable. The toddler took a lick of the frosting. One lick was enough to taste the sauce. Wildlife photographers often capture animals at the mineral lick. The park ranger pointed out the natural lick to the tourists.
View all translations of lick
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:lécher, touche, ...
- German:lecken, Hauch, ...
- Italian:leccare, pennellata, ...
- Spanish:lamer, pizca, ...
- Portuguese:lamber, pincelada, ...
- Chinese:舔, 一点, ...
- Japanese:なめる, 少し, ...
- Arabic:لَعِقَ, لَمسَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְלַקֵּק, טִיפָּה, ...
- Russian:лизать, немногое количество, ...
- Ukrainian:лизати, трохи, ...
- Hindi:चाटना, थोड़ी मात्रा, ...
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