take a licking
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To suffer a defeat or a beating.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “take a licking” mean?
To suffer a defeat or a beating.
Is “take a licking” formal or informal?
take a licking is generally slang.