[lik] 
| 1. | to pass the tongue over the surface of, as to moisten, taste, or eat (often fol. by up, off, from, etc.): to lick a postage stamp; to lick an ice-cream cone. |
| 2. | to make, or cause to become, by stroking with the tongue: to lick a spoon clean. |
| 3. | (of waves, flames, etc.) to pass or play lightly over: The flame licked the dry timber. |
| 4. | Informal.
|
| 5. | to move quickly or lightly. |
| 6. | a stroke of the tongue over something. |
| 7. | as much as can be taken up by one stroke of the tongue. |
| 8. | salt lick. |
| 9. | Informal.
|
| 10. | Usually, licks. a critical or complaining remark. |
| 11. | Usually, licks. Jazz Slang. a musical phrase, as by a soloist in improvising. |
| 12. | lick up, to lap up; devour greedily. |
| 13. | last licks, a final turn or opportunity: We got in our last licks on the tennis court before the vacation ended. |
| 14. | lick and a promise, a hasty and perfunctory performance in doing something: I didn't have time to clean thoroughly, so I gave the room a lick and a promise. |
| 15. | lick ass, Slang: Vulgar. kiss (def. 17). |
| 16. | lick into shape, Informal. to bring to completion or perfection through discipline, hard work, etc.: They needed another rehearsal to lick the production into shape. |
| 17. | lick one's chops. chop 3 (def. 7). |
| 18. | lick one's wounds. wound 1 (def. 6). |
| 19. | lick the dust. dust (def. 23). |
| lick (lĭk) v. licked, lick·ing, licks v. tr.
To pass or lap quickly and rapidly: The flames licked at our feet. n.
[Middle English licken, from Old English liccian; see leigh- in Indo-European roots.] lick'er n. |