lichi 
licM (Ie-ehe'), n. [Also ///, //,<//<, 
A Chinese fruit, the product of the tree Litchi 
( luiifii.-ii.-i ( \'i /iln 'I in 111 I. i/i-lii). 'I'll, most common va- 
riety is nearly round, about ;m inch anil n half in li;tin t* r, 
witti a thin and brittle ml-culoru<t shell, which in covered 
with wart-liku protuberances. The pulp, when fresh, is 
white ami nearly trannparent, sweet and jelly-like, and 
i-uniains a sinnle sbiiiint; brown nci.il. The fruit is borne 
in clusters. It is dried fur preservation, the pulp shrink- 
ing away from tin- lu-ll, and in this state it sometimes 
finds its way to western ports. See Litchi. 
The lichi is the Ilnest of Chinese fruits, having a white 
fleh with the taste of tho best of grapes excellent 
Pop. So, Mo., XX VIII. 674. 
lichinin(II'ki-nm), . [< lichen + - 2 .] Same 
8487 
2. To take into the mouth by lapping with the 
lap. 
lich-OWl (lieh'oul), n. [Also litch-owl; < 
+ oicl.] A screech-owl, as supposed to bode 
death. 
The shrieking litch-oid, that doth never cry 
Hut boding death. Drai/ton, The OwL 
lichroad (lich'rod), M. Same as Ik'hway. 
licht 1 , v. and n. An obsolete or dialectal 
(Scotch) form of light 1 . 
licht", a. An obsolete or dialectal form of liyh f-. 
lichtly (licht'li), v. t.; pret. and pp. lichtlied, 
ppr. lichtlying. Same as Unfitly. [Scotch."] 
lichwake(lich'wak), n. [< /ic/il + wake.'] See 
Ukewake. 
lichway (lich'wa), n. [< /te/t 1 + way.] The 
path by which the dead are carried to the grave. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
lichwort (Uch'wert), n. [< licit* + wort.] The 
wall-pellitory, Pwietaria offitinalis. 
liciblet, a. [ME., < OF. 'licible (f), < L. licere, 
be allowed: see license.] Pleasant; agreeable. 
Percas as whan the liste what thl wyf pley, 
Thi conceyte holdeth It good and licible. 
Occleae, MS. Soc. Autiq. 134, f. 259. (Halliwdl.) 
Licinian (li-sin 'i-an), a. [< C. Licini(us) (see 
def.) + -.] Pertaining to Caius Licinius 
Calvus Stolo, a Koman, tribune of the people 
about 376-367 B. c., noted as the promoter of 
the Licinian laws. Llclnlan lawB, several Roman 
laws passed about 367 B. c. one for relief against usury, by 
allowing interest to be deducted from the principal, and 
the balance to be paid in equal Instalment* within three 
years; one restricting Individual holdings of public land to 
about sat acres each, and limiting the herds of any one per- 
son ; and one providing that two consuls should be elected 
instead of military tribunes, one of whom must be a ple- 
beian. 
licit (lis'it), a. [ME. 'licite, lyssette, < F. licite 
= Sp. licito = Pg. It. licito, < L. licitus, lawful, 
permitted, allowed, pp. of licere, be lawful: 
see license, n.] Lawful; allowable: opposed to 
illicit: as, "licit establishments," Carlyle. 
The kynge demaunded of them If It were a thynge ly- 
tette and lawful to beleue. 
Derncrt, tr. of Frolssarfs Chron., n. 628. 
To sensual vices she was so abandoned, 
That lustful she made licit in her law, 
To remove the blame to which she had been led. 
Longfellow, tr. of Dante's Inferno, v. 60. 
-Syn. Legal, etc. Sec /mr/ii/. 
licitation (lis-i-ta'shon), n. [= F. licitation = 
8p. licitacion = Pg. 'licitacjio, < L. ticitatio(n-), 
an offering of a price, < licitari, pp. licitatus, < 
liceri, bid on goods at an auction, licere, be for 
sale, offer for sale.] 1. The act of selling or 
exposing to sale by offering publicly to the 
highest bidder; an auction. Bailey. [Bare.] 
2. In law, a sale, and partition and division 
of proceeds. [Bare.] 
licitly (lis'it-li), adv. In a licit manner; law- 
fully. 
The question may be licitly discussed. 
Throckmorton, Considerations, p. 88. 
licitness (lis'it-nes), n. The state or quality 
of being licit; lawfulness. [Rare.] 
lick (lik), v. [< ME. lid-en, < AS. liccian = OS. 
Ickkdii, likkon = D. likken = MLG. LG. licken 
= OHG. lecchon, lechon, leccon, MHG. G. lecken 
= Dan. Kkke (< 0. or LG.) = Goth, 'likkon, an 
unrecorded form (the prob. source, rather than 
the OHG., of It. leccare = Pr. liquor = OF. le- 
chier, lekier, F. lecher, lick: see lechj lecher, lech- 
erous, etc.), secondary to "laigon, m comp. fct- 
laigon, lick; = Ir. lighim = OBulg. lizati = Serv. 
Bohem. lizati = Buss. li:ati = Lett, laizit, lick, 
= Gr. ).ei^etv, lick (cf. A/^of, dainty, lickerous), 
= L. linaerc. lick, lifinrire, lick, = Skt. -^ lih, rih, 
lick.] I. trans. 1. To pass or draw the tongue 
over the surface of ; rub with the tongue. 
This lord comes, licks his hand, and protests to me. 
Fletcher, Loyal Subject, III. 2. 
I have seen an antiquary lick an old coin, among other 
trials, to distinguish the age of it by its taste. 
Addison, Ancient Medals, Ui. 
Crouches to the rod, 
And lick the foot that treads it in the dust. 
Covyer, Task, v. 
lickety-cut 
lubrication. Such llckersare now commun In high speed 
engines and other fast-running machines. 
licker-in (likVr-in'), . The first roller-card of 
a carding-macbine. which receives the lap or 
fleece from the feed-rolls, and delivers the fiber 
to the niiiiu cnriliiig-eyliiider. 'I he licker-in runs 
with less peripheral velocity than that of the main cjlln- 
der-card, hence tbe teeth of the hitter contlnuouitly draw 
out or strip the fiber from the teeth of tbe lickei-lu as 
fast as It Is received from the feed-rolls. 
lickerish (lik'er-ish), a. [Formerly also liquor- 
ish; a corrupted form (as if < licker or lii/nm 
+ -w/il)of lickerous: see lickerous.] 1. Same 
as lickerous, 1. 2. Same as lickerous, '2. 
It Is never tongue-tied when fit commendation, whereof 
womankind Is to lickeriih, Is ottered unto It. .Sir /'. Sidney. 
In the place where dogs lirlcnt the blood of Naboth shall 
dogs lick thy blood. 1 Ki. xxL 19. 
3. To strike repeatedly by way of punishment ; 
flog; chastise with blows; beat. [Colloq.] 
I'm taiild tbe muse ye ha'e negleckit ; 
An' gif it's sae, ye slid be ticket. 
Burm, Second Epistle to Davie. 
Who, if she dared to speak or weep, 
He instantly would kick her; 
And oft (to use a Devonshire phrase) 
The gentleman would lick her. 
Wolcot, Orson and Ellen, II. 
I've tried to lick the badness out of him. . . . You can 
out of some boys, you know. '/'/.. Atlantic, XLIX. 41. 
Hence 4. To "beat" or overcome; gain a 
victory over; surpass; excel. [Colloq.] 6. In 
MI i'li. : (a) To catch and retain (fiber), as the 
rollers of drawing-frames in a damp atmosphere. 
(b) To lap or scoop up ; wipe off or transfer by 3. Such as to tempt the appetite ; of dainty 
intermittent contact, as in the device for lubn- quality. 
cation called a licker. (c) To take up gradually 
Short Taste of Pleasures, bow dost tbou torment 
A liquoruh Soul, when once Inflam'd by thee ! 
J. licauiiwiit. Psyche, 111. 1. 
Their magazines are very often rifled by bears, raccoons, 
and such like Ivjuoriih vermin. Itcoerlty, Virginia, It 1 18. 
and feed (fiber) into a carding-machine : said 
of the action of the card called the licker-in. 
To lick Into shape, to give form or method to : In al- 
lusion to the ancient notion that the young bear is born 
shapeless and Is licked Into shape by Its motber. 
A bear's a savage beast, of all 
Most ugly and unnatural ; 
Whelp'd without form, until the dam 
lias Ivkd It into thape and frame. 
S. Butler, lludlbras, I. lifT 1308. 
To lick the dust, (a) To be slain ; bite the dust ; perish 
In battle, (6) To prostrate one's self on the ground In 
token of utter submission ; act abjectly and servilely. 
They shall lick the dutt like a serpent. Mlcab vll. 17. 
To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon with servility ; 
court by flattery or attentions; be meanly servile to. 
[Low.] 
His [Pope's] heart too great, though fortune little, 
To lick a rascal statesman's spittle. 
.Vici/f, Libel on Delany and Carteret. 
To lick up, to take up or remove by licking or as by lick- 
Ing ; remove entirely. 
They shall . . . lick tip the dust of thy feet. 
l-i. \lix. 23. 
Then the fire of the Lord fell, . . . and licked up the 
water that was In the trench. 1 Ki. xviii. 38. 
II. intrans. To gain the victory; be victori- 
ous: as, who licked t [Colloq.] 
lick (lik), n. [< lick, v.] 1. A rubbing or draw- 
ing of the tongue over something. 
He came galloping home at midnight to have a lick at 
the honey-pot. Dryden, Amphitryon, IL 1. 
2. A slight smear or coat, as of paint. 
When sly Jemmy Twttcher had smugged up his face 
With a lick of court whitewash and pious grimace. 
Gray, The Candidate. 
3. A small quantity; as much as can be taken 
Like a spunge, you suck up licktruh wines. 
Mauinyer, Virgin-Martyr, II. 1. 
Wouldst thou seek again to trap me here 
With lickeriih baits, tit to ensnare a brute? 
Milton, I'omus, 1. 700. 
lickerishly (Hk'er-ish-li), adv. [Formerly also 
liquorishly; < lickerish + -lyi. Cf. lickerously.] 
In a lickerish manner; daintily. 
lickerishness (lik'er-ish-nes), . [Formerly 
also liquorinhness ; < lickerish + -ness. Cf. lick- 
erousness.] The state or quality of being licker- 
ish, (a) Nlceness of palate ; daintiness, (ft) Eagerness; 
keen desire. 
Lying to her dame in denying somewhat that In liquor- 
ithneu she had taken away. 
Winthrop, Hist. \ew England, U. 115. 
The mlnds(or rather fancies) of men have such a naturall 
liquoruhnetK after the knowledge of things strange and 
remote that they swallow nothing with so grateful! a gusto 
as stories of things rare and unusual). 
Up. Parker, Platonlck Phllos., p. 82. 
lickeroust (lik'er-us), a. [Also liquorous (simu- 
lating liquor), lickorous, licorous, also likresse, 
etc. ; < ME. likerous, lykerous, likrus, < OF.*Kfce- 
rous, 'lekerous, dainty (F. liqitoreui, luscious, 
sweet), appar. an unassibilated form of 'lech- 
erous (> E. lecherous), dainty, wanton, cf. lekeor, 
leckeur, unassibilated forms of techeor, lichieor, 
a glutton, lecher: see lecher, lecherous. Hence, 
by corrupt ion, the 1 ater form lickerish .] I.Nice 
or fastidious in taste ; dainty. 
Syn wemen are wllfull <V there wit channges, 
And notiiru* of loue In likyng of yowthe, 
This vuwarnes of wit wrixlis hys mynd. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S-X L 444. 
Let not sir Surfet sitten at tbl bord ; 
Loue him not, for be is a lechour and likerota of tonge. 
1'ieri Plnwman (A), vii. 253. 
up by the tongue : as, a lick of sugar or of oat- 
meal. [Scotch.] 4. A place where salt is 2. Having a keen relish ; eager to taste or en- 
deposited at salt-springs, and where animals Joy; keenly desirous. 
deposited at salt-springs 
come, or might come, to lick it. [U. S.] 
The woods are full of deer-paths which run to the 
streams and licks. J. F. Cooper, Last of Mohicans, Iv. 
These clay licks were mere holes In the banks, and were 
in springtime visited by other animals besides goats. 
T. KoomeU, The Century, XXXVI. 209 
6. A blow; a stroke; hence, a trial or essay. 
[Colloq.] 
He gave me a lick across the face Dryden. lickerouslyt (lik'er-us-li), arfr. [Also liquorous- 
I should like to go out to Colorado and have a lick at ly ; < ME. likerously; < lickerous + -fy 2 . Hence, 
mining speculations. The Century, XXVI. 270. by corruption, lickerishly.] In a lickerous man- 
6. pi. A beating. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] ner. Chaucer, Monk's Tale, 1. 567. 
lickerousnesst (Hk'er-us-nes), n. [Also liquor- 
ousness; < ME. likerousneiise; < lickerous + -ness. 
Hence, by corruption, liekerisknets.'] The state 
or quality of being lickerous. (a) Keen appetite; 
Yonge clerkes that been lukeroui 
To redeii artes that been curious. 
Chaucer, Franklin's Tale, L 391. 
3. Sensual; luxurious; wanton; lecherous. 
Lyterout folk, aftyr that they ben dede, 
Bchul whlrle aboute the erthe, alwey In peyne, 
Tyl manye a world be passed, out of drede, 
And that forgevyn Is here wlckid dede. 
Chaucer, Parliament of Fowls, L 79. 
An' inonie a fallow gat his licki. 
Burnt, To William Simpson. 
To give a lick and a promise of better, to do a piece 
of work In a slovenly fashion, with the Implied purpose of 
making amends later. [Colloq.] 
lick-boxt, n. [< lick,v.,+ obj. 6o*2.] Same as 
lick-dish. 
Agamemnon a lick box. 
Ura-uhart, tr. of Rabelais, 11. 30. (Damn.) 
lick-dlsht (lik'dish), n. [< lick, v., + obj. dish.] 
A parasite. Also lick-sauce. 
Liar, liar, lick dith," a proverbial address to a liar, .. v 
schools. It b an old saying, being found liCker-Up 
longing; gluttonous craving. 
A theef of venyaoun that hath forlalt 
His lilcrrousncttc and al his olde craft 
Kan kepe a forest best of any roan. 
Chaucer, Doctor's Tale, L 84. 
(b) Lasclviousness. 
Venus me yaf my lust, my likmnimemr. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Wife of llath's Tale, L 611. 
chiefly used at school: 
In the Tragedy of Huffman, 1631, sig. I. 11. 
HaUiireU. 
licker (lik'er), n. [< J/ 
OHG. lecchari, MHG. G. lecker); < lick + -eri.] 
'er-up'), n. See the extract. 
The die Is usually made of cast steel. When it Is placed 
pon the anvil, and the plated metal Is cut Into pieces of 
-..oper sire, the top of the die is then surrounded with a 
lute, made of oil and clay, for an Inch or two above Its sur- 
for taking up a small quantity of oil and convey- certain height, and dropped down upon It ; and as the nn- 
ing it to a bearing or journal to be lubricated, der face of the licker-up Is made rough like a rasp. It firmly 
The oil thus licked up may be presented to the licker in adheres to the lead, so as to lift It afterwards with th, 
an open vessel, or in some absorbent material like flannel mer. j rt, inci., u. 
or sponge, with which the licker con 
rcvi'lution or reciprocation of " 
capillary action In conveying the oil to the bearing needing Same as I 
ni material line nannei mwr. 
mes In contact at each li c k e ty-CUt (lik'e-ti-kuf), a<1c. [< 'lickety. a 
w^.^op'orby vgue1y imitative form based on lick, + t] 
