What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Lick vs Louse - What's the difference?

lick | louse |

As nouns the difference between lick and louse

is that lick is the act of licking; a stroke of the tongue while louse is a small parasitic wingless insect of the order Phthiraptera.

As verbs the difference between lick and louse

is that lick is to stroke with the tongue while louse is to remove lice from the body of a person or animal; to delouse.

lick

English

(licking)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of licking; a stroke of the tongue.
  • The cat gave its fur a lick .
  • The amount of some substance obtainable with a single lick.
  • Give me a lick of ice cream.
  • A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue.
  • a lick''' of paint; to put on colours with a '''lick of the brush
  • * Gray
  • a lick of court white wash
  • A place where animals lick minerals from the ground.
  • The birds gathered at the clay lick .
  • A small watercourse or ephemeral stream. It ranks between a rill and a stream.
  • We used to play in the lick .
  • (colloquial) A stroke or blow.
  • Hit that wedge a good lick with the sledgehammer.
  • (colloquial) A bit.
  • You don't have a lick of sense.
    I didn't do a lick of work today.
  • (music) A short motif.
  • There are some really good blues licks in this solo.
  • speed. In this sense it is always qualified by good', or ' fair or a similar adjective.
  • The bus was travelling at a good lick when it swerved and left the road.

    Synonyms

    * (bit) see also .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To stroke with the tongue.
  • The cat licked its fur.
  • (colloquial) To defeat decisively, particularly in a fight.
  • My dad can lick your dad.
  • (colloquial) To overcome.
  • I think I can lick this.
  • (vulgar, slang) To perform cunnilingus.
  • (colloquial) To do anything partially.
  • To lap
  • * 1895 , H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter XI
  • Now, in this decadent age the art of fire-making had been altogether forgotten on the earth. The red tongues that went licking up my heap of wood were an altogether new and strange thing to Weena.
  • To lap; to take in with the tongue.
  • A cat licks milk.
    (Shakespeare)

    Derived terms

    * ass-licker * cow lick * good lick * lick one's chops * lick one's wounds * lick out * lickspittle * lick up * licked * lickety split * outlick

    louse

    English

    (wikipedia louse)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A small parasitic wingless insect of the order Phthiraptera .
  • (colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who has recently taken an action considered deceitful or indirectly harmful.
  • Synonyms

    * (insect) (North America) cootie * (contemptible person) maggot, worm

    Derived terms

    * body louse * booklouse * crab louse * head louse * louser * lousy * pubic louse * sea louse * three skips of a louse

    Verb

    (lous)
  • To remove lice from the body of a person or animal; to delouse.
  • Synonyms

    * delouse