take a licking
Withstand repeated blows
Take a licking means to suffer a defeat, beating, or harsh treatment.
The phrase comes from the sense of lick as a blow or strike.
A sports team takes a licking when badly outscored.
Someone's finances take a licking in a market crash.
The advertising slogan "takes a licking and keeps on ticking" emphasizes endurance despite punishment.
- endureSuffer through without yielding
- surviveContinue to exist
- defeatVictory over another
- hang in thereEndure through difficulty
- withstandRemain intact despite pressure
down but not out · perseverance · toughness · resilience · grin and bear it · tough it out · hard knocks · recovery · fortitude · soldier on · grit · thrashing · overcome · get back up · hardiness · come up short · stamina · bite the bullet
take a lickingcome out on top
weather the storm · dodge a bullet · land on one's feet · shake it off · brush it off
take a lickinggive a beating
trounce · dominate · wipe the floor with someone · prevail · triumph
take, takes, taken, taking, taker, takers, takeover, takeaway, lick