lecken
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈlɛkŋ̩/, /ˈlɛkn̩/
Audio: (file) Audio: (file)
Etymology 1
From Middle High German lëcken, from Old High German lecchōn, from Proto-West Germanic *likkōn, from Proto-Germanic *likkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵʰ-.
Cognate with Dutch likken, English lick, Latin lingō, Ancient Greek λείχω (leíkhō).
Verb
lecken (weak, third-person singular present leckt, past tense leckte, past participle geleckt, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive or intransitive) to lick (with the tongue) [with accusative or an (+ dative) ‘something’]
- Der Hund leckte sein Fell. ― The dog licked its fur.
- Der Hund leckte an seinem Fell. ― The dog licked its fur.
- (transitive or intransitive, vulgar) to lick (to perform cunnilingus)
- Mein Freund leckt total gerne.
- My boyfriend totally enjoys licking.
Conjugation
| infinitive | lecken | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | leckend | ||||
| past participle | geleckt | ||||
| auxiliary | haben | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
| present | ich lecke | wir lecken | i | ich lecke | wir lecken |
| du leckst | ihr leckt | du leckest | ihr lecket | ||
| er leckt | sie lecken | er lecke | sie lecken | ||
| preterite | ich leckte | wir leckten | ii | ich leckte1 | wir leckten1 |
| du lecktest | ihr lecktet | du lecktest1 | ihr lecktet1 | ||
| er leckte | sie leckten | er leckte1 | sie leckten1 | ||
| imperative | leck (du) lecke (du) |
leckt (ihr) | |||
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Synonyms
Hyponyms
Related terms
- Honiglecken
- Zuckerlecken
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Middle Low German lecken, from Old Saxon *lekkian, from Proto-West Germanic *lakkjan, from Proto-Germanic *lakjaną, originally a causative of the verb Proto-Germanic *lekaną (“to leak”), related to English leak. The same in Dutch lekken (“to leak”).
Verb
lecken (weak, third-person singular present leckt, past tense leckte, past participle geleckt, auxiliary haben)
Conjugation
| infinitive | lecken | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| present participle | leckend | ||||
| past participle | geleckt | ||||
| auxiliary | haben | ||||
| indicative | subjunctive | ||||
| singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
| present | ich lecke | wir lecken | i | ich lecke | wir lecken |
| du leckst | ihr leckt | du leckest | ihr lecket | ||
| er leckt | sie lecken | er lecke | sie lecken | ||
| preterite | ich leckte | wir leckten | ii | ich leckte1 | wir leckten1 |
| du lecktest | ihr lecktet | du lecktest1 | ihr lecktet1 | ||
| er leckte | sie leckten | er leckte1 | sie leckten1 | ||
| imperative | leck (du) lecke (du) |
leckt (ihr) | |||
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Hyponyms
- durchlecken
Derived terms
Further reading
- “lecken” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “lecken” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “lecken” in Duden online
- “lecken” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
- “lecken” in OpenThesaurus.de
Middle Dutch
Etymology 1
From Old Dutch leccon, from Proto-West Germanic *likkōn, from Proto-Germanic *likkōną.
Verb
lecken
- to lick
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Alternative forms
- licken
Descendants
Etymology 2
From Old Dutch *lekken, from Proto-West Germanic *lakkjan.
Verb
lecken
- synonym of lēken
Inflection
This verb needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
- Dutch: lekken
Further reading
- “lecken”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “lecken (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “lecken (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page III