ENGLISH
REFERENCE

licks

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɫɪks// UK //lˈɪks// licks

v. to move your tongue across the surface of something. You might do this to taste food or to clean something.

v. passes the tongue over a surface, typically to taste, moisten, or clean it. This third-person singular form describes a physical action or a habitual behavior.


SIMPLE

The dog licks my hand whenever I come home.

CONTEXTUAL

The cat licks its paws carefully after every meal to stay clean.

COMPLEX

As the heat intensifies, the child licks the melting ice cream cone quickly to prevent the sticky liquid from dripping onto his shirt.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

© 2026 English Reference