I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a lick of paint informal (= a layer of paint used to make something more attractive )
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All she needed to do to the kitchen was give it a lick of paint.
flames lick sth literary (= they touch something lightly )
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Flames licked the darkening sky.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ NOUN
flame
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BIn the far distance, the flames licked their way toward the beach like lava coming down the mountainsides.
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From the other, funnels of smoke poured with flames licking behind them, lighting the dark smoke garishly.
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The flames were licking at the window.
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Yes, they agreed, smoke and flames licking at their faces as they punched their dough, it was hot.
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He failed to notice the flames licking around the drawers of the filing cabinet.
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Yellow-orange flames lick up from bottom to top.
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I remember the flames of our cabin licking the night.
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Crimson and coral flames licking the darkness with warmth, glistening like blood and rubies.
lip
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Berries trembled against her lips and she licked them, swallowed.
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He kept his head turned towards Mary, though, as between parted lips they licked the tips of each other's tongues.
wound
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The researchers injected formalin into animals' paws and watched how often they licked the wound .
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We thought the murderous hordes were beaten and whimpering out in the jungles, licking their wounds .
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Real togetherness Einstein licked his wounds after his long drawn out battle with Bohr about the uncertainty principle.
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Eventually they would withdraw those investments, turn inward, lick their wounds , repair their factories, and bolster their stock.
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The more time she had to lick her wounds , the better.
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Sometimes they choose to lick their wounds in quiet or stay in a shut-down state, raging inward1y for years.
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At least we were in good hands while we licked our wounds .
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
knock/lick/get sb/sth into shape
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A lot of similar stories, people just wanting to get back into shape , get their games together.
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And backs off quick, before the long-suffering pimp shows up, and knocks the girl into shape with his jewelled fists.
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His replacement, former sales manager Nils Sontag, never had enough time to lick the company into shape .
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Lionesses lick their cubs into shape and life.
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Nevertheless an heroic effort is being made to lick Expo into shape before Easter Monday.
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The first two hours knock us into shape , however, as we battle with the boulder-strewn approach to Condoriri.
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With the BaByliss BodyToner Plus you can treat yourself to wonderful massages and get back into shape at the same time.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Manley has been unable to lick his drinking problem
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Nina licked the melted chocolate off her fingers.
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Paul put down the chicken and licked his fingers.
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The children sat licking their ice creams.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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He licks his lips nervously, but he doesn't move.
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He paws at me, licks me, nuzzles me and I talk back.
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In moments, they were snuffling at his thighs, jumping up with gleeful whines to lick his face.
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She had barely licked the envelope before she had her first pains.
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The sun had set and dusk, like some nocturnal beast, had crept out of hiding and was stealthily licking its paws.
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We thought we had it licked, but it turns out to be stronger than we are.
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You could not lick them, and you could not get yours licked.
II. noun
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Can I have a lick of your ice cream cone?
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Ellis landed a few licks early in the third round.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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A lick of colour pulsed out of the engine, dissolved, came again and grew strong.
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Big Brother chug and flow to good effect and sling some quality licks.
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Having settled her differences, she gave my hand a tentative lick .
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He cringed as one of the girls came up to the car and gave Donna a lick of her cone.
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They meet at salt licks and live on leaves and fruit.
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When I was 12, most of my licks were copped from somebody else.