The idiom "lick one's wounds" means to recover from a defeat or setback, usually in a private and reflective way. It is often used to describe a situation where someone has suffered a loss or failure and needs time to heal and regain their confidence.
The phrase comes from the behavior of animals, such as dogs and cats, who lick their wounds to clean and soothe them. In the same way, when people "lick their wounds," they take time to reflect on what went wrong and how they can improve in the future.
For example, if a sports team loses a game, they may need to "lick their wounds" before they can start practicing again. Similarly, if someone fails an exam, they may need some time to "lick their wounds" before they can start studying again.
Overall, "lick one's wounds" is a metaphorical expression that describes the process of recovering from a setback or defeat. It is a way of acknowledging that setbacks are a natural part of life and that it is important to take time to reflect and learn from them.
• The athlete was devastated after losing the championship, but instead of licking his wounds, he used it as motivation to come back stronger next season.
• After losing the game, the team went home to lick their wounds.
• After being fired from his job, he went on a solo trip to Europe to lick his wounds and reflect on his career path.
• Despite the criticism from the media, the politician chose to lick his wounds and continue with his campaign.
• She was heartbroken after her breakup and needed some time alone to lick her wounds.
• The company suffered a huge loss in the market, and now they have to lick their wounds and come up with a new strategy.
• After losing the election, the politician retreated to his home state to lick his wounds and regroup.
• The team lost the game and they went back to the locker room to lick their wounds.
• After falling off his bike, the little boy went home to lick his wounds.
• The athlete suffered a devastating injury and had to spend months licking his wounds before he could return to the game.
• After being rejected by the company, he went home to lick his wounds and plan his next move.
• The company suffered a major loss in the stock market and had to lick its wounds before making a comeback.