Lick

Someone asked about the phrase “a lick and a promise” during last Tuesday’s show. It signifies a superficial cleaning on the literal level, and inadequate attention to some issue on the metaphorical level. Think of a dog or a cat doing a quick lick of its fur and then springing up to do something else.

There ensued a brief discussion of the wide range of meanings involved in the word lick, and that sent me to the dictionary. Lick may refer to

• an act of licking
• a slight and hasty wash
• a casual amount of work
• a dab of paint
• a spot to which animals resort to lick the salt or salt earth found there
• a horse ailment
• a smart blow.
• an opportunity
• a speedy spurt in racing
• a plan or idea
• a short solo or phrase, usually improvised and often interpolated into a piece of written music
• criticism or condemnation

SIDEBAR: Lick Observatory



Now available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition


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Lambent

Lambent was the word that showed up on my vocabulary quiz last Tuesday. It refers to a flame that plays lightly over a surface without scorching it. There is light, but no damaging heat. By extension, it can mean radiant or teasing.

Metaphysical poet Richard Crashaw used it to good effect:

When love of us called him to see
If we’d vouchsafe his company,
He left his father’s court, and came
Lightly as a lambent flame,
Leaping upon the hills, to be
The humble King of you and me.

The word comes to us from the Latin lambere, to lick. Here are some other words that contain a lick and a promise.

• abligurition: prodigal expense on meat and drink [L. lingere, to lick]
• catillate: to lick dishes [L. catillus, plate]
• cunnilingus: oral stimulation of the vulva [L. lingere, to lick]
• eclegme: form of medicine of a semifluid consistence, which is licked off the spoon [Gr. ekleixein, to lick out]
• electuary: A medicinal paste, consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup of some kind [Gr. ekleixein, to lick out]
• lamprey: an eel [The OED tentatively assigns it to the Latin lambere, to lick, and petra, stone, because the creature attaches itself to rocks by means of a sucker]
• lecher: a debauched person [Fr. lêcher, to lick]
• ligurition: glutinous devouring [L. ligurire, to lick up]
• lingible: meant to be licked

SIDEBAR: anatomy of the tongue


Now available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition


Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. There is no archive.

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Finger-lickin' good

The Latin word ligurire meant to lick or to pick away at food, the sign of a dainty eater.

The root showed up in several English words in the 17th century, but most of them have fallen by the wayside.

They are interesting because of their quaint nature. In particular, I find the first definition below to be delightful.

• abligurie: “Spending in belly-cheere.” [Cockeram, 1612]

• abligurition: “Prodigal expense on meat and drink.” [Bailey, 1742]

• ligurate: “To feed daintily.” [Cockeram, 1623]

• ligurion: “A devourer, a spend-thrift.” [Blount, 1656]

• ligurition: “Gluttonous devouring, greedinesse.” [Cockeram, 1623]

• obligurate: “To spend in belly-cheere.” [Cockeram, 1623]

• obligure: “To banquet, to feast.” [Cockeram, 1623]


Bailey, Nathan. An universal etymological English dictionary

Blount, Thomas. Glossographia, or a dictionary interpreting such hard words..as are now used

Cockeram, Henry. The English dictionarie, or an interpreter of hard English words

Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. There is no archive.

Now available from McFarland & Co.: Word Parts Dictionary, 2nd edition

Write to Mike with comments or questions:
wordmallATaol.com
(substitute @ for AT above)

Check out Mike's program-based books here:
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arbutuspress.com/store_ling.html
or at Amazon.com

Visit the Senior Corner at http://seniors.tcnet.org