lick
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++lick1 /lɪk/ ●●● S3 verb 1 tongue 舌头 [transitive]HBEATWET to move your tongue across the surface of something in order to eat it, wet it, clean it etc 舔；舔吃 The dog jumped up and licked her face. 那只狗跳起来舔她的脸。lick something ↔ up A cat licked up the drops spilt on the floor. 一只猫把溅在地板上的东西舔光了。lick something off something He licked the drops off his upper lip. 他舔去上唇的液滴。2 sport 体育运动 [transitive] informalBEAT/DEFEAT to defeat an opponent 击败〔对手〕 I bet we could lick the best teams in Georgia. 我敢打赌我们能打败佐治亚州最强的队。3 flames/waves 火焰/波浪 [intransitive, transitive] literaryTOUCH if flames or waves lick something, they touch it again and again with quick movements 〔火焰〕燎着，卷烧；〔波浪〕轻拍lick at/against Soon the flames were licking at the curtains. 火舌很快就吞卷窗帘。4 have (got) something licked informalDEAL WITH to have succeeded in dealing with a difficult problem 使某事得到解决 Just when you think you’ve got it licked, it comes back. 就在你以为万事大吉的时候，问题又回来了。5 lick your lips (also lick your chops American English)ENTHUSIASTICEXCITED to feel eager and excited because you are expecting to get something good 舔唇向往，热切期待 Scottish rugby fans are licking their lips in anticipation. 苏格兰的橄榄球迷正在热切期盼着。6. lick your wounds DISAPPOINTEDto quietly think about the defeat or disappointment you have just suffered 〔失败或失望后〕舔舐伤口，重整旗鼓7. lick somebody’s boots OBEYto obey someone completely because you are afraid of them or want to please them 巴结某人，拍某人马屁 → knock/lick somebody/something into shape at shape1(3)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
lick• We thought we had it licked, but it turns out to be stronger than we are.• Manley has been unable to lick his drinking problem• In moments, they were snuffling at his thighs, jumping up with gleeful whines to lick his face.• Paul put down the chicken and licked his fingers.• He licks his lips nervously, but he doesn't move.• The sun had set and dusk, like some nocturnal beast, had crept out of hiding and was stealthily licking its paws.• He paws at me, licks me, nuzzles me and I talk back.• She had barely licked the envelope before she had her first pains.• Nina licked the melted chocolate off her fingers.• The children sat licking their ice creams.• You could not lick them, and you could not get yours licked.lick at/against• Parker licked at it and stuck on a bit of brown paper.• Deep blue lagoon waters lick at its beaches.• I walked down by the water where the sand was packed flat and firm, waves licking at my ankles.• She licks at my toes and fingertips, sucking at them until my blood rushes to greet her touch.• He looked at the fire, watched the thin, yellow flames licking at the bars.• Not till the day you're starving, Cat, and begin to lick at the corpse.• Flames licked at the top story of the eight-floor building.• The flames were licking at the window.• Yes, they agreed, smoke and flames licking at their faces as they punched their dough, it was hot.lick2 noun 1 [countable usually singular]HBEATWET when you move your tongue across the surface of something 舔 Can I have a lick of your ice cream? 我可以舔一口你的冰激凌吗？2 a lick of paint/colour etc COVERAMOUNTa small amount of paint etc put onto the surface of something to improve its appearance 薄薄一层油漆/颜料等 It’ll be okay after a lick of paint. 刷上一点油漆就行了。3 not a lick of something American English old-fashioned not even a small amount of something 一点…也没有 Ann won’t do a lick of work around the house. 家里的事安一点也不做。4 [countable] informal part of a song played on a guitar 〔吉他演奏歌曲的〕小过门 a bluesy guitar lick 用吉他演奏的蓝调风格小过门5. at a great/fair lick British English informalFAST/QUICK very fast 迅速地6 give something a lick and a promise a) British EnglishWASH to wash or clean something quickly and carelessly 马虎地清洗某物；随便打扫一下某物 b) American EnglishCARELESS to do a job quickly and carelessly 马马虎虎地做某事7. [countable] informalHIT an act of hitting someone 一击，击打Examples from the Corpus
lick• He cringed as one of the girls came up to the car and gave Donna a lick of her cone.• Can I have a lick of your ice cream cone?• A lick of colour pulsed out of the engine, dissolved, came again and grew strong.• Ellis landed a few licks early in the third round.• When I was 12, most of my licks were copped from somebody else.• Big Brother chug and flow to good effect and sling some quality licks.• They meet at salt licks and live on leaves and fruit.• Having settled her differences, she gave my hand a tentative lick.Origin lick1 Old English liccianlick1 verblick2 nounChinese
of something the to surface across move Corpus your tongue
lick
lick1 S3 /lɪk/ 
verb
The dog jumped up and licked her face.
lick something ↔ up
A cat licked up the drops spilt on the floor.
lick something off something
He licked the drops off his upper lip.
2. SPORT [transitive] informal to defeat an opponent:
I bet we could lick the best teams in Georgia.
3. FLAMES/WAVES [intransitive and transitive] literary if flames or waves lick something, they touch it again and again with quick movements
lick at/against
Soon the flames were licking at the curtains.
4. have (got) something licked informal to have succeeded in dealing with a difficult problem:
Just when you think you’ve got it licked, it comes back.
5. lick your lips (also lick your chops American English) to feel eager and excited because you are expecting to get something good:
Scottish rugby fans are licking their lips in anticipation.
6. lick your wounds to quietly think about the defeat or disappointment you have just suffered
7. lick sb’s boots to obey someone completely because you are afraid of them or want to please them
⇨ knock/lick somebody/something into shape at shape1(3)
lick2 noun
1. [countable usually singular] when you move your tongue across the surface of something:
Can I have a lick of your ice cream?
2. a lick of paint/colour etc a small amount of paint etc put onto the surface of something to improve its appearance:
It’ll be okay after a lick of paint.
3. not a lick of something American English old-fashioned not even a small amount of something:
Ann won’t do a lick of work around the house.
4. [countable] informal part of a song played on a guitar:
a bluesy guitar lick
5. at a great/fair lick British English informal very fast
6. give something a lick and a promise
a. British English to wash or clean something quickly and carelessly
b. American English to do a job quickly and carelessly
7. [countable] informal an act of hitting someone
| I |
verb Language: Old English
Origin: liccian
1. TONGUE [transitive] to move your tongue across the surface of something in order to eat it, wet it, clean it etc:Origin: liccian
lick something ↔ up
lick something off something
2. SPORT [transitive] informal to defeat an opponent:
3. FLAMES/WAVES [intransitive and transitive] literary if flames or waves lick something, they touch it again and again with quick movements
lick at/against
4. have (got) something licked informal to have succeeded in dealing with a difficult problem:
5. lick your lips (also lick your chops American English) to feel eager and excited because you are expecting to get something good:
6. lick your wounds to quietly think about the defeat or disappointment you have just suffered
7. lick sb’s boots to obey someone completely because you are afraid of them or want to please them
⇨ knock/lick somebody/something into shape at shape1(3)
| II |
noun1. [countable usually singular] when you move your tongue across the surface of something:
2. a lick of paint/colour etc a small amount of paint etc put onto the surface of something to improve its appearance:
3. not a lick of something American English old-fashioned not even a small amount of something:
4. [countable] informal part of a song played on a guitar:
5. at a great/fair lick British English informal very fast
6. give something a lick and a promise
a. British English to wash or clean something quickly and carelessly
b. American English to do a job quickly and carelessly
7. [countable] informal an act of hitting someone
