lick

The word “lick” means to pass the tongue over something. In plain terms, to touch with the tongue — or, informally, to beat someone soundly, or (in music) a short catchy riff.

“Lick” is pronounced lihk (/lɪk/ in IPA).

Here is “lick” used in a sentence: “The dog licked her hand affectionately.”

Depending on how it is used, “lick” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “lick” comes from Latin. From Old English liccian, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to lick," related to Latin lingo and Greek leíkhō. The violent sense ("to beat, defeat") is unique to English and its exact origin is unclear.

“Lick” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Lick” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to pass the tongue over something.

"Lick" describes the physical act of passing the tongue over something, while "taste" refers to perceiving flavor, which can happen with or without licking. You can taste food without licking it (by chewing or sipping), but licking is a specific tongue motion.

Used informally, "lick" can mean to defeat someone decisively, as in "our team licked them." This sense has nothing to do with tongues and is common in casual, competitive contexts.

In music, especially guitar playing, a "lick" is a short, often repeated musical phrase or riff. Musicians build solos out of familiar licks.

As a verb, "lick" describes the action of running the tongue over something or, informally, defeating someone. As a noun, it can mean a single stroke of the tongue or a short musical riff, so the correct sense depends on context.