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licking

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take a licking and keep on ticking

To continue to function, endure, or persevere despite suffering injuries, damage, setbacks, losses, failures, etc. Taken from an advertisement for Timex wrist-watches: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking." When you're younger, your body can take a licking and keep on ticking, so it's easy to fall into a false sense of invulnerability. This old truck of mine has taken quite a licking over the years, and it just keeps on ticking.

See also: and, keep, licking, on, take, ticking

take a licking but keep on ticking

To continue to function, endure, or persevere despite suffering injuries, damage, setbacks, losses, failures, etc. Taken from an advertisement for Timex wrist-watches: "It takes a Licking and keeps on ticking." When you're younger, your body can take a licking but keep on ticking, so it's easy to fall into a false sense of invulnerability. This old truck of mine has taken quite a licking over the years, but it just keeps on ticking.

See also: but, keep, licking, on, take, ticking

*licking

a spanking; a beating in a fight. (*Typically: get ~; take ~; give someone ~.) Billy, you had better get in here if you don't want to get a licking. Bob took a real licking in the stock market. Tom gave Harry a licking in the fight he was in.

take a licking

to be defeated or very strongly criticized Their latest album took a licking from the critics, but it's selling well anyway.

Related vocabulary: take a beating

See also: licking, take

take a licking

  (American & Australian informal)

to be defeated or very strongly criticized Their latest album took a licking from the critics, but it's selling well.

See also: licking, take

ass-kissing

and ass-licking

1. n. the act of fawning over and flattering people. (Rude and derogatory.) After his show of ass-kissing, Fred thought the judge would let him off with a light fine.

2. n. pertaining to the act of fawning over and flattering people. (Rude and derogatory.) Shut your ass-licking mouth and start talking straight, or I’m gonna bust you one. Get your ass-kissing butt out of here!

ass-licking

verb

See ass-kissing