Can only animals "lick sth up"?

No, people can use it too, especially when referring to cleaning or consuming liquids with their tongue.

Is "lick sth up" formal or informal?

It is informal and used mainly in casual conversations.

Can I say "lick up sth"?

Yes, but it is less common than "lick sth up."

What is the difference between "lick up" and "lap up"?

"Lick up" means to clean or absorb completely by licking, while "lap up" usually refers to animals drinking liquid quickly with their tongue.

Is "lick sth up" always used with liquids?

Mostly yes, but it can be used with soft foods or sauces as well.

Lick sth up Meaning / Examples / How to Use

What Does “Lick sth up” Mean?

“Lick sth up” means to clean or absorb something by licking it, often referring to animals or people using their tongue to remove liquid or food.

Introduction

The phrase “lick sth up” is a common phrasal verb in English that describes the action of cleaning or absorbing a substance by licking it. Usually, this is used when talking about animals, especially pets like dogs or cats, who use their tongues to clean surfaces or drink liquids. However, it can also be used figuratively or in casual speech to describe someone quickly consuming or cleaning something with their tongue. Understanding the “lick sth up meaning” will help you use it naturally in conversations and writing. This phrase is simple yet useful, especially when describing animal behavior or informal actions.

Quick Info Box

Phrasal verb: lick something up
Type: transitive
Level: A2
Short meaning: to clean or absorb a liquid or food by licking

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Lick sth up” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object (something) between “lick” and “up” or after the entire phrase.

lick + something + up (e.g., The dog licked the milk up.)
lick + up + something (less common but possible, e.g., The dog licked up the milk.)

Both forms are correct, but the first is more common in everyday use.

How to Use “Lick sth up”?

You use “lick sth up” when talking about cleaning or absorbing liquids or soft substances by licking. It is often used to describe animals’ behavior but can be used metaphorically for people too. When you want to say that someone or something cleans a surface or drinks something by licking, this phrase fits perfectly.

For example, a dog might lick up spilled water from the floor, or a child might lick up ice cream from a bowl. It emphasizes the action done with the tongue to clean or consume the substance.

Examples

Imagine a dog in the kitchen after you spill some milk. You might say:

The dog quickly licked the milk up from the floor.
After the rain, the cat licked up the drops on the window sill.
She licked up the last bit of honey from her spoon.
The puppy loves to lick up any food crumbs left on the table.
He licked up the sauce from the plate because it was so delicious.

These examples show “lick sth up in a sentence” naturally used in everyday contexts.

Common Mistakes

People often confuse the word order or use the wrong preposition when using this phrase. For example, some may say:

Incorrect: The dog licked up milk the.
Correct: The dog licked the milk up.
Incorrect: She licked off the ice cream.
Correct: She licked up the ice cream.

Remember, the object should come between “lick” and “up” or after the phrase, and the preposition “up” is necessary to complete the meaning.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrasal verbs include “lap up,” “clean up,” and “lick off.” However, each has different uses:

Lap up: Often used for animals drinking liquids by quickly moving their tongue in and out, e.g., “The cat lapped up the milk.”
Clean up: Refers to cleaning generally, not necessarily by licking, e.g., “She cleaned up the kitchen.”
Lick off: Means to remove something by licking, often a small amount, e.g., “He licked off the chocolate.”

“Lick sth up” emphasizes cleaning or absorbing a liquid or soft substance completely by licking, unlike “lick off,” which can mean removing something partially.

Common Collocations

The phrase “lick sth up” is often used with liquids or soft foods. Here are common collocations:

Milk: Animals lick up spilled milk.
Water: Pets lick up water from the floor.
Sauce: Someone licks up sauce from a plate.
Honey: Licking up honey from a spoon.
Ice cream: Licking up ice cream from a bowl or cone.

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of lick sth up:

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “lick sth up”:

Anna: Look! The dog spilled the milk again.

Ben: No worries, he’s already licking it up.

Anna: Good, at least he’s cleaning up after himself!

Practice

Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of “lick sth up”:

The puppy ________ all the water from his bowl.
She ________ the last drops of honey from the jar.
After the picnic, the cat ________ the spilled juice.
He quickly ________ the sauce on his plate.

FAQs

Q: Can only animals “lick sth up”?
A: No, people can use it too, especially when referring to cleaning or consuming liquids with their tongue.
Q: Is “lick sth up” formal or informal?
A: It is informal and used mainly in casual conversations.
Q: Can I say “lick up sth”?
A: Yes, but it is less common than “lick sth up.”
Q: What is the difference between “lick up” and “lap up”?
A: “Lick up” means to clean or absorb completely by licking, while “lap up” usually refers to animals drinking liquid quickly with their tongue.
Q: Is “lick sth up” always used with liquids?
A: Mostly yes, but it can be used with soft foods or sauces as well.