The spelling of "lick promise" follows the phonetic rules of English. "Lick" is spelled with an "i" and "ck" because it is pronounced with a short "i" sound followed by a consonant cluster. "Promise" is spelled with an "o" and "se" because the second syllable is pronounced with a long "o" sound followed by the "s" sound. The IPA phonetic transcription for "lick promise" is /lɪk ˈprɒmɪs/, where the stress is on the second syllable of "promise".
"Lick promise" is an idiomatic phrase commonly used in informal speech to describe an insincere or unreliable commitment made by someone, often accompanied by a gesture of licking one's finger or lightly touching a surface. This expression is primarily used to express skepticism or doubt about the authenticity or trustworthiness of someone's words or promises.
The phrase draws its origin from "licking one's finger and holding it up to the wind" as a way of testing the wind's direction and speed - a metaphor for assessing the reliability or likelihood of something happening. In a similar vein, someone making a "lick promise" is figuratively metaphorizing that their commitment is as unreliable as an estimation based on holding up a wet finger to the wind.
The term often implies that the individual making the promise lacks sincerity or seriousness in their commitment, and instead may be merely paying lip service or making empty assurances without any intention of fulfilling them. It suggests a lack of trustworthiness or dependability, and conveys skepticism about the person's integrity or credibility.
Overall, "lick promise" functions as a colloquial expression denoting an unreliable or insincere commitment, painted with a sense of skepticism, and often used to convey doubt or disbelief in someone's words or assurances.