lick·ing 
/ˈlɪkɪŋ/ noun
/ˈlɪkɪŋ/ noun [singular] informal 1 : a severe beating
▪ His father threatened to give him a licking if he didn't stop misbehaving. 2 : a severe defeat
▪ The team got/took a good licking [=was badly defeated] in the first game of the season. — often used figuratively ▪ Many investors took a licking [=lost a lot of money] in the stock market last year.
▪ His father threatened to give him a licking if he didn't stop misbehaving.
▪ The team got/took a good licking [=was badly defeated] in the first game of the season. — often used figuratively ▪ Many investors took a licking [=lost a lot of money] in the stock market last year.
