Meaning of "get your licks in"

It derives from that, but is used to say you manage to get your arguments into the discussion.

Thank you for your answer, but can you please be more specific, if I give you the context? My context is: someone asks "Was she abusive to her boy?", and the other person answers: "Oh, yeah! She got her licks in." Thank you!

Hi,

'To get your licks in' can have a physical meaning: to get your blows in, ie to hit the other person.

Perhaps that is the meaning in your context.

Best wishes, Clive

Thank you, Clive. It was a bit confusing, you know, because I also found this expression in connection with ice-cream adverts, and even with post-stamp adverts.
Smaranda

In which case it is a typical advertiser's pun - combining the image of licking an ice cream or a postage stamp and the concept of getting there first.

I think the expression comes from the world of bar-room brawls -- some bad guy is getting beaten up and someone who is watching decides he wants to contribute to the mauling, and so he "gets his licks in." Nowadays, the expression could be used also to describe a verbal contest as well -- a person seeing someone getting a verbal lashing may also want to "get his licks in."

It comes from the Latin. One of the names for the attendantsake of magistrates and governors in the Roman Empire was called a lector. One of a lictor's unpleasant tasks would be the scourging of prisoners. So getting your blows in or your insults in derives from this word for one who scourges.

Growing up, a "lick" is the mark left by a willow switch (the lick of the switch) when a child is being disciplined. "You're gonna get a licking" meant you were in trouble when dad found out. It's the equivalent of saying "you're gonna get a whoopin'." "Take your licks" meant to bear the punishment you earned or to "take it like a man." "Get your licks in" meant to punish someone for crossing you