lick up
B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To use your tongue to eat or drink something that is on a surface.
Literal meaning: To move one's tongue upward to collect something from a surface.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
(Of a person or animal) to remove liquid or small food from a surface by using the tongue.
"The cat licked up the last drops of milk from the floor."
Grammar: separable
2 C1
idiomatic
neutral
(Literary/figurative, of fire or waves) to consume or cover a surface rapidly and completely.
"The flames licked up the dry timber within minutes."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Most often used to describe animals licking up spills or small creatures eating. Can describe humans doing the same, though this sounds informal or childlike. Also used figuratively in some literary contexts for fire or waves 'licking up' a surface.
Commonly used with
milk water spill crumbs drops blood
Forms
Base
lick up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
licks up
he/she/it
Past simple
licked up
yesterday
Past participle
licked up
have + pp
-ing form
licking up
continuous
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