2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. Shak. To lick the dust, to be slain; to fall in battle. "His enemies shall lick the dust." Ps. lxxii. 9. — To lick into shape, to give proper form to; — from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. Hudibras. — To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon. South. — To lick up, to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. Shak. Num. xxii. 4.
LICK
Lick, n. Etym: [See Lick, v.]
1. A stroke of the tongue in licking. "A lick at the honey pot." Dryden.
2. A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied. [Colloq.] A lick of court white wash. Gray.
3. A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; — often, but not always, near salt springs. [U. S.]
LICK
Lick, v. t. Etym: [Cf. OSw. lägga to place, strike, prick.]
Defn: To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter. [Colloq. or Low] Carlyle. Thackeray.
LICK
Lick, n.
Defn: A slap; a quick stroke.[Colloq.] "A lick across the face."
Dryden.
LICKER
Lick"er, n. Etym: [Cf. Lecher.]