licked one's lips
Tongue touched mouth
To lick one's lips is to pass the tongue over them, typically in anticipation of something desirable—most often food, but also any pleasurable prospect.
The investors licked their lips at the prospect of a hostile takeover.
The gesture suggests eager desire or greedy anticipation, whether literal or figurative.
Someone might lick their lips nervously as well, though anticipatory relish is the dominant connotation.
- tongueOral muscle for taste
- hungerNeed for nourishment
- tasteFlavor perception ability
- moistureSmall amounts of liquid
- flirtationPlayful romantic attention
savoring · mouth · lip smacking · anticipation · can't wait · nervousness · body language · body cues · craving · sweet tooth · salivation · greed · temptation · nonverbal cues · eagerness · smack · drool · desire