lick
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A blow; LICKING, a beating; "to put in big LICKS," a curious and common phrase, meaning that great exertions are being made.—Dryden; North.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “lick” mean?
A blow; LICKING, a beating; "to put in big LICKS," a curious and common phrase, meaning that great exertions are being made.—Dryden; North.
Is “lick” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.