The small bodies look as if they have been licked into shape.

You'll all have to help me; otherwise we'll never find someone we can lick into shape in any reasonable period of time.

You wanted a lot of licking into shape.

We'll have him licked into shape in no time," Felicity said confidently. "

"Consumption is the very arena in which culture is fought over and licked into shape."

And the lawyers will have plenty of time to get the case licked into shape and lined up for trial.

I thought I had my life licked into shape - how had it come to this?

He's Johnny-on-the-Spot whenever street car men are licked into shape.

For they were licked into shape in the late 1960s by two ambitious pals who ran a record shop in the Cheshire market town.

And despite being licked into shape by the waitresses, they all left with a plan – to go back and work there in their gap year.

He wants licking into shape.

And I own I should like to see Cei licked into shape.

18 Example that’s canniest licked into shape (8)

The pair of them soon had Michael licked into shape, and the only question to resolve was who was going to sit on his pogo first.

He did have a brainful of new stuff, though- didn't know yet what half of it was-he'd better be getting it licked into shape.

Licked into shape

7 Lick into shape, ie, train out of idleness (7)

Porson asserted that the verse "remained a rude, unformed mass, and was not completely licked into shape till the end of the tenth century."

My eye was quickly caught by a week’s riding in the idyllic surrounds of an Italian castle in which hopeless novices would be licked into shape.

When Scramble had them thoroughly cleaned up, licked into shape, and nestled against her belly with one thigh protectively covering them, I opened the door for Behemoth.

You'd either better have a complete breakdown and get a physician who will refuse to let any one talk with you, or else you'd better get your story licked into shape.

"And you are so miserable…" How can one be miserable when there are warm places to lie, food to eat, snow to roll in, and a youngling to lick into shape?

Colonel J. Cunningham, from Poona Horse, got about licking into shape the heterogeneous collection of drafts from other battalions which were destined to form his new command.

I don't know what theDido's complement is, but he only has225men in theCalypso and theDido will be nearer625.You're going to have a lot of pressed men to lick into shape!' '

It has resisted efforts to ease the conditions attached to the bail-outs of Greece and Ireland, and is insisting that Portugal, which started negotiations on a bail-out this week, also gets licked into shape.