To lick the dust

To lick the dust
Lick Lick (l[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Licked} (l[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Licking}.] [AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk[=o]n, D. likken, OHG. lecch[=o]n, G. lecken, Goth. bi-laig[=o]n, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei`chein, Skr. lih, rih. [root]121. Cf. {Lecher}, {Relish}.] 1. To draw or pass the tongue over; as, a dog licks his master's hand. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

2. To lap; to take in with the tongue; as, a dog or cat licks milk. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{To lick the dust}, to be slain; to fall in battle. ``His enemies shall lick the dust.'' --Ps. lxxii. 9.

{To lick into shape}, to give proper form to; -- from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. --Hudibras.

{To lick the spittle of}, to fawn upon. --South.

{To lick up}, to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. --Shak. --Num. xxii. 4. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • lick the dust — 1. To be killed or finished off (informal) 2. To be abjectly servile • • • Main Entry: ↑lick …   Useful english dictionary

  • lick the dust —    to die    Usually today after being killed in a Western, from where a corpse lies in dry country, but with a biblical lineage:     His enemies shall lick the dust. {Psalms 72: 9)    See also bite the dust …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • To lick the spittle of — Lick Lick (l[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Licked} (l[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Licking}.] [AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk[=o]n, D. likken, OHG. lecch[=o]n, G. lecken, Goth. bi laig[=o]n, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei chein, Skr. lih, rih.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bite the dust — Synonyms and related words: bow, break up, crumble, crumble to dust, disintegrate, drop dead, fall, fall dead, fall down dead, fall to pieces, go down, go to pieces, go under, have enough, lick the dust, lose, lose out, lose the day, say uncle,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • bite the dust —    to die    A synonym of lick the dust, and usually of violent death, although not necessarily after falling from your horse in a Western movie.    Rare figurative use:     .. .Jerry will unleash some devil s device and another brilliant… …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • bite the dust — Meaning Die or fall prostrate to the ground. Origin From The Bible, Old Testament, Psalms lxxii. 6 His enemies shall lick the dust. Used later in many B feature cowboy movies …   Meaning and origin of phrases

  • Lick — (l[i^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Licked} (l[i^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Licking}.] [AS. liccian; akin to OS. likk[=o]n, D. likken, OHG. lecch[=o]n, G. lecken, Goth. bi laig[=o]n, Russ. lizate, L. lingere, Gr. lei chein, Skr. lih, rih. [root]121. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dust — [dust] n. [ME < OE, akin to MLowG: for IE base see DUN1] 1. powdery earth or other matter in bits fine enough to be easily suspended in air 2. a cloud of such matter 3. confusion; turmoil 4. a) earth, esp. as the place of burial …   English World dictionary

  • lick — licker, n. /lik/, v.t. 1. to pass the tongue over the surface of, as to moisten, taste, or eat (often fol. by up, off, from, etc.): to lick a postage stamp; to lick an ice cream cone. 2. to make, or cause to become, by stroking with the tongue:… …   Universalium

  • dust — dustless, adj. /dust/, n. 1. earth or other matter in fine, dry particles. 2. a cloud of finely powdered earth or other matter in the air. 3. any finely powdered substance, as sawdust. 4. the ground; the earth s surface. 5. the substance to which …   Universalium

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