noun an act of licking
verb to pass the tongue over something
In music, a lick refers to a short musical phrase often used as a solo or improvisation.
In cooking, to lick a spoon or bowl refers to tasting the food to check for seasoning or flavor.
In sports like hockey, a lick refers to a quick shot or hit with a stick.
In informal language, to give someone a lick means to hit or beat them.
Animals use licking as a way to groom themselves or show affection to others.
In computer programming, a lick can refer to a small, reusable piece of code.
In the ice cream industry, a lick refers to a single stroke of the tongue on an ice cream cone or scoop.
In a professional context, 'lick' may be used metaphorically to describe overcoming a challenging task or achieving success. For example, a writer may say 'I finally licked that difficult chapter and it's ready for editing.'
A psychologist may use 'lick' to refer to overcoming a personal obstacle or mental health issue. For instance, they might say 'With therapy, she was able to lick her anxiety and improve her quality of life.'
In the culinary world, 'lick' can be used to describe the action of quickly tasting or sampling a dish for seasoning or flavor. A chef might say 'Let me give this sauce a quick lick to see if it needs more salt.'
Athletes may use 'lick' to describe defeating a rival or achieving a personal best. For example, a runner might say 'I trained hard and finally licked my personal record in the marathon.'
In the music industry, 'lick' can refer to a short, melodic phrase or solo played on a musical instrument. A musician might say 'I just came up with a killer guitar lick for our new song.'