lickv. t.[AS. liccian; akin to OS. likkn, D. likken, OHG. lecchn, G. lecken, Goth. bi-laign, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei`chein , Skr. lih, rih. 121. Cf. Lecher, Relish.]1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand.(Addison.)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.()n.[See Lick, v.]1. A stroke of the tongue in licking.(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.()A lick of court whitewash. (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. Called also salt lick.()v. t.[Cf. OSw. lgga to place, strike, prick.] To strike with repeated blows for punishment; to flog; to whip or conquer, as in a pugilistic encounter.(Carlyle. Thackeray.)n. A slap; a quick stroke.(Dryden.)