- [transitive]
to move your tongue over the surface of something in order to eat it, make it wet or clean it 舔 - [transitive] lick something + adv./prep.
to eat or drink something by licking it 舔吃；舔着喝 - [transitive, intransitive]
(of flames 火焰 to touch something lightly 掠过；（火舌）舔食 - [transitive] lick somebody/something (informal)
to easily defeat somebody or deal with something 轻松战胜；轻易对付
Word OriginOld English liccian, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch likken and German lecken, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek leikhein and Latin lingere.
Idioms
get/knock/lick somebody into shape
to train somebody so that they do a particular job, task, etc. well 把某人培养成材（或训练出来） It took him just two weeks to knock the new recruits into shape. 他只花了两个星期的时间就使新兵入伍。 Leave the boy with me—I'll soon knock him into shape! 把这男孩交给我，我会很快把他调教好的！
lick somebody’s boots
(British English, taboo, slang lick somebody’s arse)
- (disapproving)
to show too much respect for somebody in authority because you want to please them 阿谀奉承；谄媚；拍马屁
lick/get/knock somebody into shape
to train somebody so that they do a particular job, task, etc. well 把某人培养成材（或训练出来） Leave the boy with me—I'll soon lick him into shape! 把男孩留在我身边，我很快就会舔他的身材！
lick/smack your lips
lick your wounds
to spend time trying to get your strength or confidence back after a defeat or a disappointing experience （失败或失望后）恢复元气，重整旗鼓 Leeds are still licking their wounds after their humiliating defeat by Grimsby. 利兹（Leeds）在格里姆斯比（Grimsby）惨败后仍在舔伤口。