sucking

US: (suk′ing)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

suck•ing  (suk′ing), adj. 

1. Developmental Biology not weaned.
2. Developmental Biology very young.

• bef. 1000; Middle English souking(e), Old English sūcende; see suck, -ing²

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

suck /sʌk/   v. 

1. to draw into the mouth by producing a partial vacuum by action of the lips and tongue: [~ + object]
   to suck lemonade through a straw.
   [no object]
   The baby was sucking at his mother's breast.
2. to draw (water, air, etc.) by or as if by suction:
   [~ + object] Plants suck moisture from the air.
3. to apply the lips or mouth to and draw the liquid from: [~ + object]
   to suck an orange.
   [no object]
   to suck at an orange.
4. to put into the mouth and draw upon: [~ + object]
   to suck a piece of candy.
   [no object]
   sucking on a cough drop.
5. Slang Terms to be disgusting or awful:
   [no object* not: be + ~-ing] That team sucks; it can't win any of its games.
6. Slang Terms suck up, [no object* (~ + to + object)] to be subservient;
   to be obsequious:
   He's sucking up to the boss because he thinks he'll get a promotion that way.

n. [countable]

7. an act or instance of sucking.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

suck  (suk), v.t. 

1. to draw into the mouth by producing a partial vacuum by action of the lips and tongue:
   to suck lemonade through a straw.
2. to draw (water, moisture, air, etc.) by or as if by suction:
   Plants suck moisture from the earth. The pump sucked water from the basement.
3. to apply the lips or mouth to and draw upon by producing a partial vacuum, esp. for extracting fluid contents:
   to suck an orange.
4. to put into the mouth and draw upon:
   to suck one's thumb.
5. to take into the mouth and dissolve by the action of the tongue, saliva, etc.:
   to suck a piece of candy.
6. to render or bring to a specified condition by or as if by sucking.

v.i. 

7. to draw something in by producing a partial vacuum in the mouth, esp. to draw milk from the breast.
8. to draw or be drawn by or as if by suction.
9. Hydraulics (of a pump) to draw air instead of water, as when the water is low or a valve is defective.
10. Slang Terms to behave in a fawning manner (usually fol. by around).
11. Slang Terms to be repellent or disgusting:
    Poverty sucks.
12. suck face, to engage in soul-kissing.
13. Slang Terms suck in, to deceive;
    cheat;
    defraud:
    The confidence man sucked us all in.
14. Slang Terms suck off, Slang (vulgar). to fellate.
15. Slang Terms suck up, to be obsequious;
    toady:
    The workers are all sucking up to him because he's the one who decides who'll get the bonuses.

n. 

16. an act or instance of sucking.
17. a sucking force.
18. the sound produced by sucking.
19. that which is sucked;
    nourishment drawn from the breast.
20. a small drink;
    sip.
21. a whirlpool.

• bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English souken, Old English sūcan, cognate with Latin sūgere; (noun, nominal) Middle English souke act of suckling, derivative of the noun, nominal; akin to soak

suck′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

suck / sʌk/ verb

1. to draw (a liquid or other substance) into the mouth by creating a partial vacuum in the mouth
2. to draw in (fluid, etc) by or as if by a similar action: plants suck moisture from the soil
3. to drink milk from (a mother's breast); suckle
4. (transitive) to extract fluid content from (a solid food): to suck a lemon
5. (transitive) to take into the mouth and moisten, dissolve, or roll around with the tongue: to suck one's thumb
6. (tr; often followed by down, in, etc) to draw by using irresistible force
7. (intransitive) (of a pump) to draw in air because of a low supply level or leaking valves, pipes, etc
8. (transitive) to assimilate or acquire (knowledge, comfort, etc)
9. (intransitive) to be contemptible or disgusting
10. suck it up ⇒ to accept an unpleasant fact or situation: large companies are dictating the terms and smaller companies just have to suck it up

noun

1. the act or an instance of sucking
2. something that is sucked, esp milk from the mother's breast
3. give suck to ⇒ to give (a baby or young animal) milk from the breast or udder
4. an attracting or sucking force
5. a sound caused by sucking

Etymology: Old English sūcan; related to Old Norse súga, Middle Dutch sūgen, Latin sūgere to suck, exhaust; see soak