What does licked mean?
Licked is most often encountered as an informal adjective meaning utterly defeated, overwhelmed, or facing an opponent so strong that victory appears impossible. Expressions such as "we were licked" and "we got licked" are especially natural in conversation about sports, contests, or difficult challenges. In this sense, the word conveys complete defeat rather than a narrow loss. Licked also serves as the regular past tense and past participle of the verb lick. Literally, it describes having touched or moistened something with the tongue, as in saying that a dog licked a bowl. Figuratively, the verb can imply sampling or gaining a brief taste of something, such as knowledge, an experience, or a culture. The adjective and verb senses are therefore quite distinct, although both belong to the same inherited English word. Licked is especially useful because it combines a vivid literal meaning with a familiar, emphatic slang expression for being comprehensively beaten.
Informally, utterly defeated, overwhelmed, or at a severe disadvantage.
"With ten minutes remaining and three goals behind, we were plainly licked."
Common chiefly in informal speech and writing, especially when describing defeat in a contest or competition.
The past tense and past participle of lick: having touched or moistened something with the tongue; figuratively, having sampled or briefly experienced something.
"Before signing the contract, she licked the salty rim of the unfamiliar glass."
This is a standard inflection of lick. Figurative uses such as "licked the paint" can mean sampled a little of something, while "licked wounds" means briefly experienced a painful situation.
Licked can mean 'utterly defeated' without any licking involved—an example of how vivid slang can give an ordinary verb a second life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does licked come from?
Licked is a regular inflection of the English verb lick, which descends through Middle English from Old English lician, meaning 'to lick' or 'to taste.' Old English lician is generally traced to a Germanic root associated with licking and tasting, from which leech is also historically related. The informal sense of 'utterly defeated' developed later in American English and is now widely used in informal British and American English as well.
Related word forms
How licked is actually used
The sense meaning 'defeated' is informal and especially common in competitive, sporting, and conversational contexts. The verb form is standard in both literal and figurative uses; literal references to licking may be playful, affectionate, or, in some contexts, coarse or sexual.
Easily confused with licked
A person or animal licked something with the tongue, whereas liquid or gas leaked out of a container or enclosure.
Licked refers to touching or moistening with the tongue, whereas liked means to have found something enjoyable or agreeable.