# lick

> English word · Verb · IPA /lɪk/ · frequency rank #10,076

## Definitions
1. To stroke with the tongue.
2. To lap; to take in with the tongue.
3. To beat with repeated blows.
4. To defeat decisively, particularly in a fight.
5. To overcome.
6. To perform cunnilingus.
7. To do anything partially.
8. To lap.

## Etymology
From Middle English likken, from Old English liccian, from Proto-West Germanic *likkōn, from Proto-Germanic *likkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵʰ- (“to lick”). Sense evolution towards violence unclear; not paralleled in any other Germanic language.
See also Saterland Frisian likje, Dutch likken, German lecken; also Old Irish ligid, Latin lingō (“lick”), ligguriō (“to lap, lick up”), Lithuanian laižyti, Old Church Slavonic лизати (lizati), Ancient Greek λείχω (leíkhō), Old Armenian լիզեմ (lizem), Persian لیسیدن (lisidan), Sanskrit लेढि (léḍhi), रेढि (réḍhi).

## Easily confused with
- **lie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lie)
- **lit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lit)
- **lip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lip)
- **lil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lil)
- **Liz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-liz)
- **LLC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-llc)
- **lid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lid)
- **lin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lin)
- **Liu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-liu)
- **Liv** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-liv)
- **lim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lim)
- **LOC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-loc)
- **lis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lis)
- **Luk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-luk)
- **LIF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lif)
- **LSC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-lsc)
- **like** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-like)
- **life** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-life)
- **look** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-look)
- **live** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lick-vs-live)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ilck`, `lcik`, `licck`, `lickk`, `likc`, `llick`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/lick