-2

I am finding it difficult understanding the use of this words on foods and some fruits.

eat and lick What do we really eat?

Do we eat or lick Banana, orange, ice cream, etc. What are the foods we eat or lick.

1
  • Welcome to ELL. What is the source of the words you quoted? It doesn't appear to be valid English. Mar 4, 2018 at 19:41

1 Answer 1

1

Licking is not usually about eating. It means to rub your tongue on something: We lick a stamp to make it stick. We might lick our fingers to clean them. We can lick a lover's body during sex.

If you lick a banana you get the taste of the banana, but you don't eat any of it. Similarly with an orange. You might lick your fingers, but if you eat soup by dipping your fingers in it and then licking off the soup you are not eating politely.

In fact about the only food that is normally eaten by licking is ice cream, and only when it is served in a cone.

So lick doesn't mean eat. Licking might be a way of eating food. Very few foods are normally licked. Ice cream in a cone is one. Lollipops may be another (but depending on size they might also be sucked)

It is correct to say "eat the banana", "eat the orange", "eat the ice cream"

It is odd to say "lick the banana" or "lick the orange", and it doesn't mean the same as "eat"

1
  • Yes, and some sweets (candy) are licked, such as a lollipop (popsicle). Mar 4, 2018 at 19:47

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .