![lick and a promise, a lick and a promise, a](https://www.tekportal.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/lick-and-a-promise-a.jpg)
A superficial effort made without care or enthusiasm. For example, I haven’t time to do a good job of vacuuming, just enough for a lick and a promise. This expression is believed to allude to the quick lick a cat or other animal might give itself and a promise to do more or better at some future time. [Mid-1800s]