/lɪk; lɪk/
v
1 [Tn, Cn.a] pass the tongue over (sb/sth) 舔（某人[某物]）
*He licked his fingers. 他舔手指.
* The cat was licking its fur. 猫在舔自己的毛.
* lick the back of a postage stamp, ie to moisten the glue 舔邮票的反面（弄湿该处的胶水）
* He licked the spoon clean. 他把小勺舔乾净了.
2 [Tn] (of waves or flames) touch (sth) lightly （指波浪或火焰）触及某物
*flames beginning to lick the furniture 开始燃着家具的火焰.
3 [Tn] (sl 俚) defeat (sb) 打败（某人）.
4 (idm 习语) lick sb's `boots (infml 口); lick sb's `arse ( sl 讳, 俚) be servile towards sb 舔屁股. lick sb/sth into `shape (infml 口) make sb/sth efficient or presentable 使某人[某事物]成器或像样
*The new recruits will be fine once they've been licked into shape. 新兵一经训练就是好样儿的. lick/smack one's `lips/`chops (infml 口) show eager enjoyment or anticipation of sth 舔嘴唇（自喜或期待某事）
*The children licked their lips as the cake was cut. 蛋糕一切开, 孩子们就垂涎三尺了.
* (fig 比喻) She's licking her chops at the thought of spending all that money! 她一想到能花那一大笔钱不觉心花怒放. lick one's `wounds try to restore one's strength or spirits after a defeat 自舐伤口（失败後以求恢复元气）
*The disappointed losers crawled home to lick their wounds. 输者废然而返以重整旗鼓.
5 (phr v) lick sth from/off sth remove sth by licking 舔掉某物
*lick blood from a cut, honey off a spoon 舔掉伤口上的血、　上的蜜. lick sth up take sth into the mouth by licking 将某物舔进嘴里
*The cat licked up its milk. 猫把奶舔乾净了.

n
1 [C] stroke of the tongue in licking 舔
*One last lick and the milk was gone. 剩奶最後一舔而光.
* a lick of ice-cream 舔一下冰激　.
2 [sing] slight application (of paint, etc) （颜料等的）略施
*The boat would look better with a lick of paint. 这小船稍加颜色就好看了.
3 [sing] (sl 俚) speed 速度
*going at quite a, a fair old, a full, etc lick, ie quite, fairly, extremely fast 走得很快、颇快、极快等.
4 = salt-lick (salt).
5 (idm 习语) a ,lick and a `promise (infml 口) quick and careless attempt to clean or wash sth 迅速而马虎地弄乾净或清洗某物.