licking

LIK-ing/ˈlɪkɪŋ/

4 meanings of licking

1
nouncountable or uncountable
An act of moving the tongue across something.
Like wiping something clean with your tongue instead of a cloth.
The cat's licking kept its fur clean and neat.
She gave the spoon a quick licking to get the last of the frosting.
2
verb
Present participle and gerund of lick. Use this -ing form for an action happening now.
The dog is licking its paws by the fire.
He kept licking the envelope until it sealed.
Note
3
nouncolloquialcountable
A hard beating given as punishment.
Like being hit hard as punishment for doing something wrong.
He got a real licking for breaking the window.
The older boy promised them a licking after school.
Similarbeating, thrashing, hiding, whipping, spanking
4
nouncolloquialusually singular
A big loss in a game or contest.
Like losing a game by a huge amount.
Our team took a real licking in the final match.
They gave the other side a licking they won't forget.
Similardrubbing, thrashing, trouncing, hammering, rout
Oppositevictory, win, triumph
Note

licking is a form of lick

lick, verb: To move your tongue across the surface of something. Full entry

Forms: licklicks he/she/itlicking -ing formlicked past tense, past participle
Spelling: lick → licking: add -ing

Practice

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