Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus./N.Z.) to defeat easily; thus donkey licker, a hard puncher, donkey-licking, a severe beating.

1886		Sth. Aus. Advertiser 18 May 7/3: [of horses] I see the daughter of Chester [is] just 17lb less than Cairo, whom she used to donkey lick as a two-year-old.
1890		Inquirer & Commercial News (Perth) 10 Oct. 3/5: [of a horse] Megaphone has been [...] beaten by crocks and both Teacum and Carbine gave him a ‘donkey licking’.
1895		‘Banjo’ Paterson ‘Our New Horse’ in Man from Snowy River (1902) 34: A gallop he had / One morning with Bluefish and Bertie, / And donkey-licked both of ’em bad.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 28 July 24/3: Hempton of Maoriland appeared to be faster than Botany and Carrington pros. Yet ‘Wally’ Williams donkey-licked him in a private spin.
1908		Worker (Brisbane) 25 Jan. 3/2: John Leahy I can donkey lick, likewise poor Deacon Barnes.
1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Aug. 28/3: Carlton, by the laws of logic – if they have anything to do with football – should have donkey-licked Melbourne.
1914		Sport (Adelaide) 4/6: Bung U, the donkey licker, was seen in a motor car.
1918		Burra Record 3/3: We understand a local grower is going to donkey-lick him in artichokes.
1928		Queenslander (Brisbane) 28 Jan. 67/2: His side is being ‘donkey-licked’ [...] on short ends.
1937		Mail (Adelaide) 24 Apr. 12/3: I told him that the Ace of Blades would ‘donkey lick’ either of his champions.
1940		Burra Record 4 June 4/3: The British Empire had enough men, money and materials to donkey-lick the Germans.
1951		Townsville Daily Bulletin 17 Nov. 5/2: We have in Brisbane rained radio commentators, one in particular who can donkey-lick all these former cricket stars when it comes to giving a [...] commentary.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 145: Ajax [i.e. a racehorse] [...] had just been knocked off in a three-horse Saturday saunter by a nag he should’ve donkey-licked with one fetlock in the air.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 65: donkey-lick [...] 2. Defeat, originally in a horse race. ANZ rural C20.