Etymologically
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lick

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Pronunciation

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English licken, inherited from Old English liccian (“to lick”),[2][3][4][5] inherited from Proto-Germanic *likkōną.[4][6][7] Its Germanic cognates include Old Saxon likkon, Dutch likken, Old High German leckōn, German lecken and Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌲𐍉𐌽 (bilaigōn).[4][8][9][10] Kroonen explains the Germanic verb as the same formation as Latin lingō (“to lick”), with a nasal infix,[6] and the word goes back to the Indo-European root that also gave Ancient Greek λείχω (leíkhō, “to lick”), Old Irish ligid (“licks”), लेढि (léḍhi, “he licks”) and Old Church Slavonic лизати (lizati, “to lick”).[4][8][11][7] Etymonline and Weekley note that lécher and leccare were borrowed from Germanic,[4][12] and Ayto links the French verb to lecher.[13]

Earliest recorded meaning

To pass the tongue over something, to taste, wet or clean it, and to take something up with the tongue, to lap: Old English, in the translation of Alexander's Letter to Aristotle and the Old English Martyrology.[11][14] Barnhart cites liccian from the Vespasian Psalter (830).[8] Old English used it also of air and fire that take up moisture, and of enemies who "lick the earth", that is, suffer defeat.[14][11]

Semantic evolution

Of flames, wind or waves the verb has meant to play lightly over a surface since the early 16th century (a1522).[11] The phrase lick into shape (1610s) refers to the old belief that bear cubs were born shapeless and licked into form by their mothers;[4][15][12] a text of 1413 already describes it.[4] The sense "to beat, thrash" is recorded in Scots in 1535 and in English in 1567,[8][16][11] perhaps from figurative uses such as Coverdale's "lick up" for an army consuming its enemies (1535);[4] Weekley took it from thieves' cant.[12] From "beat" came "defeat, outdo" (1786)[11] and, chiefly in the United States, "overcome a problem" (1898).[11] The noun, an act of licking, is recorded from c1555,[11] with the sense "a small amount" from c1616,[11] "a place where animals lick salt" from 1747 in North America,[11][4] and "speed", as in at full lick, from 1838.[11][12] The jazz sense, a short figure or solo, is recorded by 1922.[4] In Scots dialect a lick of goodwill was a small portion of meal given to the miller beyond his fixed due.[17][11]

Timeline

  • Old English – to pass the tongue over; to lap up.[11]
  • a1522 – of flames or waves, to play over a surface.[11]
  • 1535 – to beat, thrash.[8][16]
  • c1555 – noun, an act of licking.[11]
  • c1600 – noun, a smart blow.[11]
  • 1610s – lick into shape.[4]
  • 1747 – a salt lick.[11][4]
  • 1786 – to defeat, outdo.[11]
  • 1838 – speed, as in at full lick.[11]
  • 1898 – (chiefly US) to overcome a problem.[11]
  • 1922 – (jazz) a short melodic figure or solo.[4]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To pass the tongue over something, to taste, wet or clean it: The dog licked the plate clean.
  2. To take up food or drink with the tongue; to lap.
  3. Of flames or waves, to move lightly over or touch a surface: Flames licked at the rafters.
  4. (informal) To defeat decisively; to get the better of a problem or opponent.
  5. (informal, dated) To beat or thrash.

Noun

  1. An act of licking with the tongue.
  2. A small amount, a light coat: The fence needs a lick of paint.
  3. A salt lick, a place where animals go to lick salt.
  4. (informal) A sharp blow. Chiefly in the United States, licks are a beating or harsh criticism.
  5. (informal) Speed: going at a fair lick.
  6. (music) A short phrase or figure in jazz, rock or blues, especially an improvised one.

Word family

  • licker
  • bootlick
  • lickspittle
  • cowlick
  • salt lick
  • lecher
  • lickerish
  • electuary

Usage notes

A lick and a promise is a colloquial phrase for a hurried, superficial piece of work, especially a quick wash.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  6. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  8. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  9. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  10. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  12. ^ a b c d Weekley, Ernest (1921), An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, London: John Murray
  13. ^ Ayto, John (2005), Word Origins: The Secret Histories of English Words from A to Z, 2nd ed., London: A & C Black
  14. ^ a b Bosworth, Joseph; Toller, T. Northcote (1898), An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press; Toller, T. Northcote (1921), Supplement
  15. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  16. ^ a b Green, Jonathon (2010), Green's Dictionary of Slang, London: Chambers; digital ed. 2016–, https://greensdictofslang.com
  17. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)