1. Pass the tongue over
   "the dog licked her hand";
   - lap
    
2. Take up with the tongue
   "the cub licked the milk from its mother's breast";
   - lap, lap up
    
3. [informal] Beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
   "We licked the other team on Sunday!";
   - cream [informal], clobber [informal], drub [informal], thrash [informal], paste [informal], blow away [informal], muller [Brit, informal], marmelize [Brit, informal], marmelise [Brit, informal], trounce, whale [N. Amer, informal], hammer [informal], wipe the floor [informal], marmalise [Brit, informal], beat hollow [informal], slaughter [informal], marmalize [Brit, informal], smoke [N. Amer, informal], shellack [N. Amer, informal], shellac [N. Amer, informal]
    
4. [N. Amer, informal] Find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
   "After hours of work, she finally licked the maths problem";
   - solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, work, suss [Brit, informal], suss out [Brit, informal], unriddle

1. Touching with the tongue
   "The cat gave a quick lick to clean its paw";
   - lap
    
2. A salt deposit that animals regularly lick
   "The wildlife photographer set up his camera near the salt lick to capture images of deer";
   - salt lick
    
3. (boxing) a blow with the fist
   "I gave him a lick on his nose";
   - punch, clout, poke, biff [informal], slug, dong [Austral, NZ, informal]
    
4. [Brit, informal] A fast speed
   "the action unfolded at a great lick";
   - clip [informal]

Derived forms: licking, licks, licked

Type of: beat, beat out, blow, crush, deposit, drink, imbibe, sediment, shell [US], stroke, touch, touching, trounce, understand, vanquish

Encyclopedia: Lick, James