lick
lick — 動詞
1. to rub something with your tongue, for instance to taste its flavour, clean it,
舔；舐
用舌頭擦過表面以品嚐或清潔
to rub something with your tongue, for instance to taste its flavour, clean it, or make it damp
The dog licked Aylin's hand as soon as she walked through the kitchen door.
那隻狗在 Aylin 一走進廚房門時就舔了她的手。
After dinner, Christopher licked every drop of chocolate pudding from his bowl.
晚餐後，Christopher 把碗裡每一滴巧克力布丁都舔乾淨。
lick + noun phrase: licked [substance] from [container]
Leo licked his lips nervously before stepping up to the microphone.
Leo 緊張地舔了舔嘴唇，然後走上麥克風前。
The cat sat on the sofa and licked its paw until the fur was wet.
那隻貓坐在沙發上舔自己的腳掌，直到毛全濕了。
Naoko licked the envelope shut before putting a stamp on the corner.
Naoko 舔了舔信封封口處把它黏好，然後在角落貼上郵票。
文法句型
lick + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with particles like off, from, or up to show that something is completely removed by the tongue.
常見錯誤
2. if flames, waves, or light lick something, they move gently over its surface, to
輕觸；掠過
（火焰、波浪等）輕輕擦過表面
if flames, waves, or light lick something, they move gently over its surface, touching it lightly and repeatedly
Flames licked the bottom of the wooden door as the fire spread through the room.
火焰舔舐著木門的底部，火勢隨著蔓延到整個房間。
Small waves licked the shore gently as the sun began to set behind the hills.
小浪輕輕拍打著岸邊，夕陽開始從山後落下。
adjective + waves + lick + noun phrase
Imran watched the fire lick at the dry logs in the stone fireplace.
Imran 看著火焰輕舔石砌壁爐裡的乾柴。
The morning sunlight licked the tops of the hills like a golden paintbrush.
早晨的陽光像金色畫筆一般拂過山丘頂端。
文法句型
fire/water + licks + noun phrase
fire/water + licks at + noun phrase
用法筆記
Used in descriptive or literary writing to create a visual image. 'Lick at' is the intransitive form with a preposition. The subject is almost always flames, waves, light, or wind — never a person or animal.
常見錯誤
3. in informal language, to defeat an opponent thoroughly and with little effort in
輕鬆擊敗
在比賽中毫不費力地取勝
in informal language, to defeat an opponent thoroughly and with little effort in a sports match or competition
The home team licked their opponents five to nothing in the final match.
主隊在最後一場比賽中以五比零輕鬆擊敗對手。
Élise is so good at chess she can lick anyone in the school club.
Élise 的西洋棋下得很好，她可以輕鬆打敗社團裡任何人。
informal register: modal + lick + anyone
Our school's basketball team licked every team in the tournament last year.
去年我們學校的籃球隊在錦標賽中輕鬆擊敗了所有隊伍。
Sahil boasted he could lick any runner on the track team easily.
Sahil 誇口說他可以輕鬆打敗田徑隊裡的任何跑者。
- lose to
opposite direction of victory
文法句型
lick + opponent
用法筆記
Common in British and Australian informal speech. Usually describes team sports, races, or games of skill. Avoid in formal writing — use 'defeat', 'beat', or 'trounce' instead.
常見錯誤
lick — 名詞
1. a sharp hit or blow delivered with a whip, a fist, or another object
一擊；鞭打
用鞭子或拳頭給予的猛擊
a sharp hit or blow delivered with a whip, a fist, or another object
The rider gave the horse a sharp lick with the whip to get it moving.
騎手用鞭子狠狠抽了馬一下，讓牠跑起來。
countable: a + adjective + lick + with [instrument]
Valentina took a hard lick on the jaw but stayed on her feet.
Valentina 的下巴挨了一記重拳，但她仍然站穩了。
The old trainer believed that a few licks taught the horse discipline.
那位老馴馬師認為抽幾鞭能讓馬學會服從。
One good lick with the paddle sent the ball flying across the court.
用球拍用力一擊，球便飛過球場。
用法筆記
Now less common than 'hit' or 'blow'. Survives mainly in regional speech and in descriptions of whipping or old-style boxing.
2. a short burst of very fast movement, especially in racing, cycling, or other spo
高速；飛快
短時間內的極快速度
a short burst of very fast movement, especially in racing, cycling, or other sports
The racehorse went down the stretch at a tremendous lick and won by four lengths.
那匹賽馬以驚人的速度衝過最後一段直道，領先四個馬身獲勝。
at a + adjective + lick: describes speed
The cyclist came round the corner at full lick and overtook the leading rider.
那名自行車手以全速過彎，超越了領先的車手。
Apinya shot past the finish at a fair lick, beating her best time.
Apinya 以飛快的速度衝過終點，刷新了個人最佳成績。
The car roared down the highway at a rare old lick before the driver slowed.
那輛車在空曠的高速公路上以極快的速度呼嘯而過，然後駕駛才減速。
用法筆記
Almost always used in the phrase 'at a [adjective] lick'. Common in British sports commentary but less familiar to American English speakers.
常見錯誤
3. a very small amount of a substance, especially a thin layer of paint, glue, or p
少量；薄層
塗在表面的薄薄一層物質
a very small amount of a substance, especially a thin layer of paint, glue, or polish applied to a surface
The front door only needs a lick of paint to look good as new.
大門只需要刷上一層薄漆就能煥然一新。
a lick of + noun: small amount of substance
Henry added a lick of butter to the toast before spreading jam on top.
Henry 在吐司上抹了一點奶油，然後在上面塗果醬。
A quick lick of glue was enough to hold the broken handle in place.
快速塗上一點膠水就足以把壞掉的手把固定住。
Soraya gave the wooden table a lick of polish, and the surface shone like new.
Soraya 給木桌薄薄上了一層亮光漆，桌面立刻像新的一樣閃亮。
用法筆記
Common in DIY and decorating contexts. 'A lick of paint' is a fixed expression that means a quick repainting job, not just a literal tiny amount.
常見錯誤
4. a short, catchy pattern of notes that a musician plays as an improvised solo in
樂句；即興段
爵士或搖滾樂中簡短的即興獨奏段落
a short, catchy pattern of notes that a musician plays as an improvised solo in jazz, blues, or rock music
The guitarist played a beautiful blues lick that made the whole crowd cheer.
那位吉他手彈了一段美妙的藍調即興樂句，全場觀眾為之歡呼。
countable: a + [genre] + lick
Adina practiced the same jazz lick for two hours until her fingers moved perfectly.
Adina 把同一段爵士樂句練習了兩個小時，直到手指動作完美流暢。
The piano lick in the middle of the song is recognisable to most music fans.
歌曲中段那段鋼琴樂句，大多數樂迷都能辨認出來。
Christopher learned a new rock lick from a lesson and used it in his solo.
Christopher 從一堂吉他課學會了一段新的搖滾樂句，並用在獨奏中。
用法筆記
Distinct from 'riff' — a lick is shorter and typically played once, while a riff is a repeated phrase that forms the basis of a song. In jazz, a lick is a building block for improvisation.
常見錯誤
5. an act of moving the tongue over the surface of something, especially as a quick
舔舐
用舌頭輕觸表面的動作
an act of moving the tongue over the surface of something, especially as a quick or gentle action
The kitten gave the spilled milk a quick lick with her tiny pink tongue.
小貓用粉紅色的小舌頭快速舔了一下打翻的牛奶。
countable: give + indirect object + a + adjective + lick
Folake took a small lick of her ice cream to check the flavour.
Folake 輕輕舔了一口冰淇淋，確認味道。
The dog gave its owner's hand a friendly lick before running off to the park.
那隻狗友好地舔了舔主人的手，然後跑向公園。
One lick of the lemon told Soraya the fruit was too sour for her taste.
Soraya 只舔了一下檸檬，就知道這顆水果酸得讓她受不了。
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'give/take + a + [adjective] + lick' to describe a single, quick tongue action. Distinguish from the verb form: 'give something a lick' = one quick action; 'lick something' = a more sustained action.
6. a block of salt or an area of salty ground where farm animals and wild animals g
鹽塊；鹽漬地
動物舔食以獲取礦物質的天然鹽礦或人工鹽塊
a block of salt or an area of salty ground where farm animals and wild animals go to lick in order to get minerals
The farmer placed a salt lick in the meadow so the cows could get minerals.
農夫在草地上放了一個鹽塊，讓牛群能攝取礦物質。
countable: a salt lick + location for animals
Deer visit the salt lick near the river to get nutrients from the soil.
鹿會到河邊的鹽漬地舔食，以獲取土壤中的養分。
Sheep farmers put salt licks near the water trough for their animals during the summer.
牧羊人在夏天會把鹽塊放在水槽附近供羊群舔食。
The salt lick in the pasture was worn smooth by years of use from cattle.
牧場裡的鹽塊經過牛群多年的使用已經被磨得光滑。
- mineral block
a man-made block of compressed minerals, not just salt
用法筆記
Can also be written as one word 'saltlick'. In agriculture, the salt may be mixed with other minerals. The term 'salt lick' is also used for man-made blocks, not just natural deposits.