Making sure nobody will see you getting a licking (6)
I believe the answer is:
hiding
'a licking' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for hiding that I've seen before include "Concealment - severe defeat" , "Concealing oneself - good thrashing" , "Beating; severe defeat" , "Beating - state of concealment" , "Secreting" .)