General
don't have a lick of sense
What does don't have a lick of sense mean?
Said of someone completely lacking in judgment; "a lick" means the smallest bit.
"Bless him, he don't have a lick of sense."
Origin
Southern idiom using "lick" (a tiny amount) to stress total absence of sense.
Frequently asked questions
What does "don't have a lick of sense" mean?
It means someone has no common sense at all—"a lick" being the smallest possible amount.
What does "a lick" mean here?
"A lick" is a colloquial way of saying the tiniest bit, so "not a lick" means none whatsoever.
How do you use it?
Criticize someone's judgment, often with a softening "bless him," e.g. "Bless him, he don't have a lick of sense."
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