Chapter Liber Albus to Lick into Shape of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lichten Belonging to the lich-ground or cemetery. In Chichester, just outside the city walls on the east, are what the common people call the lightnen or liten schools, a corruption of lichten schools, so termed because they stand on a part of the ancient Saxon lich-acre. The spelling usually adopted for these schools is “litten.”

Lick as I licked him. I flogged or beat him. (Welsh, llach, a slap, verb llachian; Anglo-Saxon, slic -an, to strike, or slick.)

Lick into Shape (To). According to tradition the cubs of bears are cast shapeless, and remain so till the dam has licked them into proper form.

“So watchful Bruin forms, with plastic care,
Each growing lump, and brings it to a bear.”
Pope: Dunciad, i, 101.