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to lick one's wounds
01
to take time to recover, heal, or regain strength after a difficult or painful experience
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What is the origin of the idiom "lick one's wounds" and when to use it?
The phrase "lick one's wounds" originates from the animal kingdom, specifically from the behavior of wounded animals. After a fight or attack, an injured animal may retreat to a safe place to lick its wounds, which helps to clean and soothe the wounds and promote healing. Over time, the phrase "lick one's wounds" came to be used metaphorically to describe the process of recovering from a setback or defeat. It implies that after a difficult or painful experience, a person may need time to retreat, reflect, and heal before returning to face the world.
Example
If the proposal is rejected, we'll need to lick our wounds, gather feedback, and make improvements before submitting again.
After the breakup, she spent several weeks licking her wounds and reflecting on the relationship before moving on.
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