Hypertext Webster Gateway: "lick"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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 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. [U. S.]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

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