to lick

Examples

• All

• I lick my dog, he licks me.

• Do you wanna just like, lick from the bottom to the top?

• I got some milk and the kitten licked the plate clean.

• We've all seen people licking their lips because they are nervous.

  Evan Carmichael

• His back rippled with pleasure, and Miranda thought she saw him actually lick his lips.

  Fiction book (1990)

• We see one of the narcs lick his finger after wiping it across one of the bowls.

  Fiction book (1990)

• He licked his plate, I'm not kidding you.

  The Opposite of Sex (1998)

• The dog started to lick its paw after stepping in mud.

• She licked the ice cream cone eagerly as it melted in the sun.

• He licked the plate clean to savor every last bit of food.

Synonyms

T

to taste

vsto lick

323 1.0

To try a small amount of food or drink to check its flavor

focuses on moving a wet mouth part over a surface rather than general sampling

L

to lap

vsto lick

11 5.4

To drink liquid with the tongue

focuses on moving a wet mouth part over surfaces to taste or clean

L

to lap up

vsto lick

2 3.8

To drink water or milk by licking it with the tongue again and again

is moving a wet mouth part over surfaces to taste or clean, not drinking

T

to tongue

vsto lick

1 7.1

To touch or lick something with the soft part inside the mouth

moves a wet part of the mouth over surfaces to taste or clean

L

to lick out

vsto lick

8.4

Use your tongue to remove food or liquid from inside a container

is a general action of moving a wet mouth part to taste or clean

L

to lick out the bowl

vsto lick

8.2

To eat the last food in a bowl with your tongue

is about passing a wet mouth part over any surface to taste or moisten

T

to take a good lick

vsto lick

• Informal

8.7

To put your tongue on food like ice cream to taste it a lot

involves a smaller pass of a wet mouth part to taste or clean

Idioms

L

lick of

• Informal

3 6.8

A very small amount of something, often a taste like honey

L

to lick one's wounds

• Informal

2 7.0

To rest and feel better after a loss or disappointment

L

to lick someone's ass

• Offensive

9.9

To praise someone too much to get their favor in a rude way

L

to lick someone's boot

• Offensive

8.9

Praise or act very friendly toward a boss to get something for yourself

L

to lick the CEO's balls

• Offensive

9.9

To praise and obey a powerful person to get their support

L

to lick the pants off

• Informal

9.6

To beat someone completely or praise them too much

L

lick and a promise

• UK

9.9

A quick, not complete job done hastily and meant to be finished properly later

Phrasal Verbs

L

to lick into shape

• UK

1 7.1

Make something better by working on it until it is ready

L

to lick out the bowl

8.2

To eat the last food in a bowl with your tongue

L

to lick out

8.4

Use your tongue to remove food or liquid from inside a container

T

to take a good lick

• Informal

8.7

To put your tongue on food like ice cream to taste it a lot

Compounds

S

salt lick

1 6.5

A place where animals go to lick salt to get minerals

How Much

to clean

∞ 1.0

to lap

11 5.4

to lick

310 1.0

to taste

323 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology