lick your wounds
Meaning
To recover emotionally or physically after a defeat, setback, or embarrassment; to regroup and regain strength.
Origin
From the observation that animals lick their wounds to clean and soothe them; by extension, people “lick their wounds” by withdrawing to recover after a loss.
Notes
Suggests taking time out to recover and regroup after a loss or criticism. Often implies temporary withdrawal; slightly informal but common in speech and writing.
Examples
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After the tough loss, the team went home to lick their wounds and regroup.
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She declined the invitation because she needed time to lick her wounds after the breakup.
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He spent the weekend licking his wounds after his proposal was rejected.
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The company retreated from the market to lick its wounds and rethink its strategy.
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Don’t just sit there licking your wounds—learn from what happened and try again.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as a verb phrase: lick your wounds / lick his wounds / licking their wounds / go off to lick their wounds. The possessive changes with the subject; wording is fairly fixed.
Synonyms
- recover
- regroup
- bounce back
- heal
- pick yourself up
Antonyms
- celebrate a victory
- go on the offensive
- press on