Lick — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈlik/

Meaning & Definition of Lick

Lick (verb)

  1. to draw the tongue over
  2. to flicker over like a tongue
  3. to take into the mouth with the tongue, lap

Lick (noun)

  1. an act or instance of licking
  2. a small amount, bit
  3. a hasty careless effort

Lick (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

    "gave the ball a solid lick with the bat"

    similar: bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse (British), fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup (dialect), lash, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop
    related: counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling, drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling, thrashing, flogging, walloping, whip, whipping

  2. a very small amount

    "the soup needs just a lick more of salt"

    similar: ace, bit, crumb, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, hint, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, ray, scintilla, scruple, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smack, smell, smidgen, snap, soupçon, spark, spatter, speck, splash, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, touch, trace, drop in the bucket
    related: hoot, iota, jot, minim, minimum, modicum, semblance, syllable, tittle, vestige, whit, atom, dot, fleck, flyspeck, grain, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, patch, scrap, dash, drop, pinch, part, portion, section, bite, nibble, taste, handful, scattering, smatter, smattering, dose, shot, chip, flake, fragment, shard, shiver, sliver, smithereens, splinter, tatter, clipping, paring, shaving
    near: abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings (chiefly British), loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad, wealth, volume, bonanza, embarrassment, excess, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, chunk, hunk, lump, slab

  3. the smallest amount or part imaginable

    "you haven't done a lick of work all day"

    similar: beans, bubkes, continental, damn, darn, diddly (slang), diddly-squat (slang), doodley-squat, fig, ghost, hoot, iota, jot, modicum, rap, squat (slang), syllable, tittle, whit, whoop
    related: ace, bit, crumb, dab, driblet, glimmer, hint, little, mite, nip, ounce, particle, peanuts, pin, ray, scrap, scruple, semblance, shade, shadow, shred, skosh, smidgen, snap, speck, spot, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, touch, trace

Lick (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to strike repeatedly

    "your father will lick you good if he hears you using swear words"

    similar: bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, bung up, club, curry, do, drub, fib (British), flog, hammer, hide, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, maul, mess (up), paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, punch out, rough (up), slate, slog, switch, tan, thrash, thresh, thump, tromp, wallop, whale, whip, whop, whup, work over, beat up on
    related: assail, assault, attack, beset, box, bust, chop, clobber, clout, crack, cudgel, cuff, descend (on or upon), hit, jump (on), knock, lam, lay on, paste, pounce (on or upon), punch, raid, rush, slam, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, storm, swat, swipe, thwack, whack, wham, whomp, blackjack, cane, cowhide, flagellate, fustigate, horsewhip, leather, pistol-whip, rawhide, scourge, strap, gore, lacerate, wound, maim, mangle, mutilate

  2. to achieve a victory over

    "he's determined to do everything he can to lick the cancer"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, get around, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lick

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lick:

British: douse, fib, do down
Slang: diddly, diddly-squat, squat
Dialect: larrup
bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, clap, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, lash, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Lick

Words with the opposite meaning of Lick:

lose (to)

Related Words for Lick

counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke, body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut, cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO, bastinado, battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling

Near Antonyms of Lick

abundance, barrel, boatload, bucket, bundle, bushel, deal, fistful, gobs, heaps, lashings, loads, lot, mass, mess, mountain, much, oodles, passel, peck, pile, plenty, potful, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, wad

Word Forms of Lick

Inflections: licked, licking, licks

Origin & Etymology of Lick

Middle English, from Old English liccian; akin to Old High German leckōn to lick, Latin lingere, Greek leichein

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Lick

lick and a promise, lick into shape, lick one's chops, lick one's wounds, lick one's lips, lick someone's boots, salt lick, a lick and a promise

Frequently Asked Questions about Lick

What does "Lick" mean?

"Lick" means to draw the tongue over. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to draw the tongue over. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lick"?

Other words for "Lick" include bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow and bop. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lick" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lick"?

There are 336 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lick". Common alternatives include bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box and buffet.

What is a slang word for "Lick"?

Slang words for "Lick" include diddly, diddly-squat and squat.

What is the opposite of "Lick"?

Antonyms of "Lick" include lose (to). Near antonyms include abundance, barrel, boatload and bucket.

How do you use "Lick" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lick" in a sentence: "gave the ball a solid lick with the bat"; "the soup needs just a lick more of salt"; "you haven't done a lick of work all day".

Is "Lick" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Lick" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Lick"?

"Lick" is pronounced /ˈlik/.