noun Uncommon

licking

LIH-kihng

Licking (noun) means the act of passing the tongue over something. Example: “A quick licking of the spoon and the batter was gone.”

noun

The act of passing the tongue over something.

"A quick licking of the spoon and the batter was gone."

A severe beating or defeat.

"The champions took a licking in the final match."

How to use licking

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe act of licking, or informally, a heavy defeat.

Common pairings

take a licking give someone a licking

lickings plural

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Can you complete this real example?

A quick _____ of the spoon and the batter was gone.

defeat beating whacking thrashing lacing drubbing trouncing

fall beat failure defeat beating hitting hiding surrender

picking kicking dicking ticking nicking fricking sticking pricking clicking tricking flicking panicking

What does “licking” mean?

The word “licking” means the act of passing the tongue over something. In plain terms, the act of licking, or informally, a heavy defeat.

How do you pronounce “licking”?

“Licking” is pronounced LIH-kihng (/ˈlɪkɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “licking” in a sentence?

Here is “licking” used in a sentence: “A quick licking of the spoon and the batter was gone.”

What part of speech is “licking”?

“Licking” is a noun.

Is “licking” a common word?

“Licking” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “licking” have?

“Licking” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of passing the tongue over something.

fall beat failure defeat beating hitting hiding surrender