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1. An unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
   "they suffered a convincing licking";
   - defeat
    
2. The act of inflicting corporal punishment with repeated blows
   - beating, thrashing, drubbing, lacing, trouncing, whacking, hiding

1. Beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
   "We licked the other team on Sunday!";
   - cream, bat, clobber, drub, thrash, hammer, wipe the floor, beat hollow, smoke [N. Amer], trounce, whale [N. Amer], muller [Brit], slaughter, tromp [N. Amer]
    
2. Pass the tongue over
   "the dog licked her hand";
   - lap
    
3. Find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
   "did you lick the problem?";
   - solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, work, unriddle
    
4. Take up with the tongue
   "the cub licked the milk from its mother's breast";
   - lap, lap up

Derived forms: lickings

Type of: beat, beat out, conclusion, corporal punishment, crush, drink, ending, failure, finish, imbibe, shell, stroke, trounce, understand, vanquish

Encyclopedia: Licking, Missouri