Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LICK'ER-ISH, a. [D. Dan. lekker, G. lecker, Sw. läcker, nice, dainty, delicate. This seems to be connected with D. lekken, G. lecken, Dan. lekker, Sw. läcka, to leak, for in D. the verb signifies also to make sleek or smooth, and in G. to lick, which unites the word with lick, and perhaps with like. In Sax. liccera is a glutton, and this is the Italian lecco, a glutton, a lecher; leccardo, greedy; leccare, to lick. The Arm. has lickez, lickerish. The phrase, the mouth waters for a thing, may throw light on this word, and if the first syllable of delight, delicious and delicate, is a prefix, these are of the same family, as may be the Gr. γλυκυς, sweet. The senses of watery, smooth, sweet, are allied; likeness is often connected with smoothness, in radical sense, and sleek is probably from the root of lick, like.]

1. Nice in the choice of food; dainty; as, a lickerish palate. – L'Estrange.
2. Eager; greedy to swallow; eager to taste or enjoy; having a keen relish. – Sidney. Dryden. Locke.
3. Dainty; tempting the appetite; as, lickerish baits. – Milton.