What Does "Hit a Lick" Mean?

“Hit a Lick” Definition

It commonly means to make money. “Hitting a lick” most often refers to making a lot of money very quickly, and usually by illegal or shady means. To “hit” means to take money from someone else, and the “lick” refers to the money itself. “Hitting a lick” is often used to describe shady means of gaining money, but it can also be used to describe any quick accumulation of money, whether legal or not. For instance, if you win the lottery, you could say you “hit a lick.”

The phrase may refer to trying something new. Traditionally, “hit a lick” or “a hit and a lick” may be another way of saying “give something a try.” This usage is less common nowadays.

“Hit a Lick” Origins

“A hit and a lick” first appeared in 1891. It was used to refer to giving something a try, in a publication called Wheel and Cycling Trade Review. The term appeared in 1920 in the journal Institution Quarterly and was used in the context of a minor attempt at rejuvenation.

“Hit a lick” as a term for earning money appeared in the early 1990s. Thanks to hip hop culture, “hitting a lick” and “a hit and a lick” came to refer to “making a score” or “hitting it big” in the ’90s. The phrase was used in rap lyrics in the early ’90s by artists including Scarface, Digital Underground, and Bushwick Bill.

“Hit a Lick” Usage

Use it when you suddenly find yourself flush with cash. Did you win big in the stock market or crypto? Did you head to the casino to try your luck? Did a distant wealthy relative suddenly pass and leave you their fortune? You’ve hit a lick, baby. “I’m about to turn 21 and you know what that means: I get access to my trust fund! I’m about to hit a lick!” “Sheila hit a lick at the slots last night! She’s buying us all steak dinners!” “My great-great-grandma died, and apparently she not only had a massive fortune, but she left it all to me! I hit a lick!”

Use it when you want to give something a whirl. Though it’s less common these days, if you want to be old-fashioned, use this phrase next time you’re trying something for the first time. “Did you put sausage in your ice cream? Well, I’ve never seen that, but I’ll take a hit and a lick.” “I’ve never skateboarded, but I decided to hit a lick today.”

Related Phrases

There are lots of other trendy ways to say “hit a lick.” Want to expand your slang vocabulary even more? Try these other ways of saying you’re suddenly flush with cash: To make a score To hit it big To his the jackpot

Didn’t hit the lick? There’s slang for that too. There are plenty of equally fun and trendy ways to say you’ve failed to hit it big, like these: To take an L To lose it all To throw it all away