Pronunciation: /ˈlɪkɪŋ/

Definitions of licking

noun the action of moving the tongue across a surface, typically to taste or consume something

Example Sentences

A1 The dog's licking of the ice cream cone made everyone laugh.

A2 The kitten's licking of its paws was a cute sight.

B1 The child's licking of the lollipop left a sticky mess on their hands.

B2 The chef's licking of the spoon indicated that the dish was delicious.

C1 The horse's licking of the salt block showed its need for minerals.

C2 The researcher's licking of the envelope to seal it was a common practice in the past.

adjective used to describe something that involves licking

Example Sentences

A1 The dog was licking its paws.

A2 She caught her son licking the ice cream cone.

B1 The toddler was caught licking the window.

B2 The cat was licking its fur clean.

C1 The chef demonstrated the proper technique for licking the bowl clean.

C2 The scientist observed the behavior of the monkeys licking each other as a form of grooming.

Examples of licking in a Sentence

formal The dog was caught licking the spilled milk off the floor.

informal My cat keeps licking my hand whenever I pet her.

slang Stop licking your wounds and get back out there.

figurative She couldn't resist licking her lips in anticipation of the delicious meal ahead.

Grammatical Forms of licking

past tense

licked

plural

licks

comparative

more licking

superlative

most licking

present tense

lick

future tense

will lick

perfect tense

have licked

continuous tense

is licking

singular

lick

positive degree

lick

infinitive

to lick

gerund

licking

participle

licked

Origin and Evolution of licking

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'licking' originated from the Old English word 'liccian' which meant to pass the tongue over something.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'licking' has evolved to not only refer to the act of passing the tongue over something but also to describe a decisive defeat or punishment in informal language.