| noun | an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest “it was a narrow defeat” |
| noun | the act of inflicting corporal punishment with repeated blows |
| verb | beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight “We licked the other team on Sunday!” |
| verb | pass the tongue over “the dog licked her hand” |
| verb | find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of “did you solve the problem?” |
| verb | take up with the tongue “The cat lapped up the milk” |
| defeatist | noun | someone who is resigned to defeat without offering positive suggestions |
| defeat | verb | thwart the passage of |
| beat | verb | give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression |
| thrash | verb | give a thrashing to; beat hard |
| trounce | verb | beat severely with a whip or rod |
| whack | verb | hit hard |
| drubbing | noun | a sound defeat |
| thrashing | noun | a sound defeat |
| lick | noun | touching with the tongue |
| lap | noun | touching with the tongue |
| solution | noun | the successful action of solving a problem |
| solver | noun | a thinker who focuses on the problem as stated and tries to synthesize information and knowledge to achieve a solution |
| solvent | noun | a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem |
| solving | noun | finding a solution to a problem |
| workable | adjective | capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are |