lick
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. 貓在舔自己的毛.
lick the back of a postage stamp, ie to moisten the glue 舔郵票的反面(弄濕該處的膠水)
He licked the spoon clean. 他把小勺舔乾凈了.
2 [Tn] (of waves or flames) touch (sth) lightly (指波浪或火焰)觸及某物
flames beginning to lick the furniture 開始燃著家具的火焰.
3 [Tn] (sl 俚) defeat (sb) 打敗(某人).
4 (idm 習語) lick sb's `boots (infml 口); lick sb's `arse ( sl 諱, 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]成器或像樣
The new recruits will be fine once they've been licked into shape. 新兵一經訓練就是好樣兒的. 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. 蛋糕一切開, 孩子們就垂涎三尺了.
(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筆錢不覺心花怒放. lick one's `wounds try to restore one's strength or spirits after a defeat 自舐傷口(失敗後以求恢復元氣)
The disappointed losers crawled home to lick their wounds. 輸者廢然而返以重整旗鼓.
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 舔掉傷口上的血、 上的蜜. lick sth up take sth into the mouth by licking 將某物舔進嘴里
The cat licked up its milk. 貓把奶舔乾凈了. lick, 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) (顏料等的)略施
The boat would look better with a lick of paint. 這小船稍加顏色就好看了.
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、 頗快、 極快等.
4 = salt-lick (salt).
5 (idm 習語) a ,lick and a `promise (infml 口) quick and careless attempt to clean or wash sth 迅速而馬虎地弄乾凈或清洗某物.