How Do You Spell LICKS?

Pronunciation: [lˈɪks] (IPA)

The word "licks" is spelled with a double "c," despite the fact that it sounds like it only has one. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is spelled /lɪks/, with the symbol "ɪ" representing the short vowel sound in "bit." The double "c" is necessary to indicate that the word is pronounced with a hard "k" sound, rather than a soft "s" sound. Despite the unusual spelling, "licks" is a common verb meaning to touch or move the tongue over something.

LICKS Meaning and Definition

  1. Licks, in its noun form, is a plural term that originates from the verb "to lick." It refers to a small number of quick, light touches or strokes made by the tongue or any similar action performed by an animal or a person. Licks are typically used for various purposes, such as cleaning oneself, demonstrating affection, tasting, or devouring. For instance, animals like dogs and cats often use licks as a way of grooming themselves or others, and as an expression of their bonding and affection towards their owners or other animals.

    In a figurative sense, "licks" can also be used to describe a quick, clever or skillful action or maneuver. This usage often pertains to sports or games, where a player outsmarts or outmaneuvers their opponent with a swift and precise move. Additionally, "licks" can be colloquially employed to denote a small achievement or a skillful musical phrase in music, particularly in jazz or blues genres, where it often refers to a short and distinctive melodic or rhythmic motif.

    Overall, "licks" can refer to tongue-based actions, as well as being used metaphorically to describe quick or skillful maneuvers in various contexts, including physical or sporting activities, music, or expressions of animal behavior and affection.

Top Common Misspellings for LICKS *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for LICKS

Etymology of LICKS

The word "licks" has multiple etymological origins and can have different meanings depending on context. Here are a few possible origins:

1. Old English: The word "lick" can be traced back to Old English, where "liccian" meant "to lick". Over time, this developed into the noun form "lick" which means a quick stroke or touch with the tongue.

2. West African Influence: Another possible origin comes from West African languages, specifically the Akan language, where "likiliki" meant "quick" or "very fast". This term was brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade and might have influenced the development of the word "licks" to mean quick movements.

3. Jazz Era Slang: In jazz and blues cultures, "licks" referred to short musical patterns or phrases played by musicians.

Idioms with the word LICKS

  • last licks The idiom "last licks" refers to the final opportunity to do or achieve something before it concludes or is no longer available. It implies that it is the last chance to exert oneself, make an impression, or gain an advantage in a given situation.

Similar spelling words for LICKS

Conjugate verb Licks

CONDITIONAL

I would lick
we would lick
you would lick
he/she/it would lick
they would lick

FUTURE

I will lick
we will lick
you will lick
he/she/it will lick
they will lick

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have licked
we will have licked
you will have licked
he/she/it will have licked
they will have licked

PAST

I licked
we licked
you licked
he/she/it licked
they licked

PAST PERFECT

I had licked
we had licked
you had licked
he/she/it had licked
they had licked

PRESENT

I lick
we lick
you lick
he/she/it licks
they lick

PRESENT PERFECT

I have licked
we have licked
you have licked
he/she/it has licked
they have licked
I am licking
we are licking
you are licking
he/she/it is licking
they are licking
I was licking
we were licking
you were licking
he/she/it was licking
they were licking
I will be licking
we will be licking
you will be licking
he/she/it will be licking
they will be licking
I have been licking
we have been licking
you have been licking
he/she/it has been licking
they have been licking
I had been licking
we had been licking
you had been licking
he/she/it had been licking
they had been licking
I will have been licking
we will have been licking
you will have been licking
he/she/it will have been licking
they will have been licking
I would have licked
we would have licked
you would have licked
he/she/it would have licked
they would have licked
I would be licking
we would be licking
you would be licking
he/she/it would be licking
they would be licking
I would have been licking
we would have been licking
you would have been licking
he/she/it would have been licking
they would have been licking

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