by Loresinger » Sun May 18, 2014 2:23 pm
its interesting you say that .. my mom had all types of sayings that I have no idea from where they originate
For example
a lick and a promise - that meant iron it or clean it up (but sounds much more interesting in modern vernacular)
here is what I found out:
Meaning
A cursory effort, for instance at painting or tidying up. It alludes to the perfunctory washing performed by children.
Origin
This is colloquial English and the first record of it in print that I can find is in the English newspaper The Era, March 1848:
...polish here, brush there, slop at one place, give a lick and a promise at another...
Dance in your kitchen; play with your food