INDEX:
things
1. to like something
2. to like something very much
3. to like something that could be bad for you
4. to begin to like something
5. someone who likes something very much
6. something that you like
people
7. to like someone
8. to begin to like someone
9. to make someone like you
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ DISLIKE
↑ HATE
similar to someone or something else : ↑ LIKE OR SIMILAR
the kind of music, clothes etc someone likes : ↑ TASTE IN CLOTHES, MUSIC ETC
see also
↑ LOVE
↑ ENJOY
↑ ADMIRE
↑ SATISFIED/NOT SATISFIED
↑ PREFER
↑ FAVOURITE
↑ ENTHUSIASTIC/UNENTHUSIASTIC
↑ POPULAR
↑ ATTRACT/ATTRACTION
↑ OBSESSION
↑ EXCITED/EXCITING
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1. to like something
▷ like /laɪk/ [transitive verb]
to think that something is nice, attractive, enjoyable etc :
▪ I like your dress - it’s a beautiful colour.
▪ Do you like spaghetti?
like something about something
▪ What did you like about the movie?
like doing something/like to do something
▪ I think Roy likes living alone.
▪ I like to see the children enjoying themselves.
▷ be into /biː ˈintuː/ [verb phrase] spoken
to like doing a particular activity or be interested in a particular subject :
▪ I know she’s really into sports, so I thought I’d ask her to come skiing with us.
▪ A lot of his relatives are into very weird New Age stuff.
▷ be fond of /biː ˈfɒnd ɒvǁ-ˈfɑːnd/ [verb phrase] especially British
to like something, especially something that you have liked for a long time :
▪ Connie had always been fond of animals.
▪ He had always been fond of drinking at lunchtime, perhaps too fond.
▷ be keen on /biː ˈkiːn ɒn/ [verb phrase] especially British
to like or be very interested in an activity or idea :
▪ I know he’s keen on opera. Let’s take him to see "La Traviata'.
▪ I’m quite keen on the idea of having a fancy dress party.
▷ appeal to /əˈpiːl tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if something appeals to you, you like it because it involves things that interest you or ideas that you agree with :
▪ I’m sure this delightful book will appeal to children of all ages.
▪ Does either suggestion appeal to you?
▷ go down well also go over well American /ˌgəʊ daʊn ˈwel, ˌgəʊ əʊvəʳ ˈwel/ [verb phrase]
if something you do, or a book, film, performance etc goes down well with a group of people, they like it :
▪ Her style of comedy is very British, but it goes down well in the States too.
go down well with
▪ At the present time, military action would not go over well with the international community
▷ be to your liking /biː tə jɔːʳ ˈlaɪkɪŋ/ [verb phrase] formal
if something is to your liking it has the qualities that you like, or it is made in the way that you like :
▪ Was the meal to your liking, Madam?
▪ The surrounding countryside was very much to our liking.
2. to like something very much
▷ love/adore /lʌv, əˈdɔːʳ/ [transitive verb not in progressive] especially spoken
to like something very much. Adore is stronger but less common than love :
▪ We had a great time at Disneyland. The kids loved it.
▪ I adore chocolate -- I could live on it.
love/adore doing something
▪ The older men loved hearing about Russ’s success on the football field.
▪ Jessie adored being the centre of attention.
▷ be crazy about also be mad about something British /biː ˈkreɪzi əbaʊt, biː ˈmæd əbaʊt/ [verb phrase] informal
to be extremely interested in an activity and spend a lot of time doing it or watching it :
▪ Jonah’s crazy about basketball.
▪ She’s always been mad about horses.
▷ be attached to /biː əˈtætʃt tuː/ [verb phrase]
to like something very much, especially something that you own or use, so that you would be upset if you lost it :
▪ Mom gets very attached to her pets.
▪ Casey had become quite attached to the comforts of his London home.
▷ have a passion for /ˌhæv ə ˈpæʃ ə n fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to like an activity very much, because it gives you a lot of pleasure or excitement :
▪ From a very early age he had a passion for fast cars.
▪ To be a great performer, you have to work very hard and have a passion for the music you play.
▷ be addicted to /bi əˈdɪktə̇d tuː/ [verb phrase]
to enjoy doing something so much that you do it, watch it etc as often as you can and feel that you cannot stop doing it :
▪ My son’s addicted to computer games - he hardly ever comes out of his room.
be addicted
▪ I started watching the show out of curiosity, but now I’m addicted!
3. to like something that could be bad for you
▷ can’t resist /ˌkɑːnt rɪˈzɪstǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase]
to like something so much that you cannot refuse it when it is offered to you :
▪ My mother could never resist expensive perfumes.
can’t resist doing something
▪ I couldn’t resist stopping by the bakery on the way home.
▷ have a weakness for /ˌhæv ə ˈwiːknə̇s fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase not in progressive] informal
to like a particular kind of food, drink, or activity, even though you know it is not good for you or that other people might not approve of it :
▪ Too many of the men in our family have a weakness for alcohol.
▪ I have to admit I have a weakness for daytime soap operas.
▷ be partial to /biː ˈpɑːʳʃ ə l tuː/ [verb phrase]
to like something such as a particular food or drink, especially when you eat or drink it more than you should :
▪ He was particularly partial to my mother’s home-made wine.
▷ not be averse to /nɒt biː əˈvɜːʳs tuː/ [verb phrase]
to like something or like doing something, especially something that could be bad or dangerous. This is often used humorously about something that is not really very bad :
▪ She’s not averse to the occasional glass of wine.
not be averse to doing something
▪ The company is highly competitive and not averse to taking risks.
4. to begin to like something
▷ get to like /ˌget tə ˈlaɪk/ [verb phrase]
to begin to like something, especially something that you did not like at first :
▪ The more the two women talked, the more they got to like each other.
▪ I don’t think I could ever get to like hip-hop.
▷ grow on /ˈgrəʊ ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if something grows on you, you gradually start to like it after a period of time :
▪ I didn’t like his accent much at first, but it kind of grows on you.
▪ ‘The furniture in this place is a little weird.’ ‘Yeah, but it grows on you after a while.’
▷ develop/acquire/get a taste for also develop a liking for something /dɪˌveləp, əˌkwaɪər, ˌget ə ˈteɪst fəʳ, dɪˌveləp ə ˈlaɪkɪŋ fəʳ something/ [verb phrase]
to begin to like something that you did not like or had not experienced before :
▪ While Bev was married, she acquired a taste for luxurious living.
▪ When her family moved to Hollywood, she developed a liking for movie magazines and film culture.
▪ Sam soon got a taste for Thai green curry and sticky rice.
▷ be an acquired taste /biː ən əˌkwaɪəʳd ˈteɪst/ [verb phrase]
if something is an acquired taste, people tend not to like when they first try it, but begin to like it when they have tried it a few more times :
▪ Dark beers and ales are an acquired taste, but there’s nothing better on a cold winter night.
▪ Like most modern jazz players, his music’s a bit of an acquired taste.
5. someone who likes something very much
▷ fan /fæn/ [countable noun]
someone who likes a particular sport, team, or famous entertainer very much :
▪ Thousands of fans came to hear Oasis play.
▪ a football fan
fan of
▪ Fans of Sylvester Stallone will enjoy this movie.
▷ lover /ˈlʌvəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who likes a particular activity very much :
music/car/wine/animal etc lover
▪ We are a nation of animal lovers.
▪ Every jazz lover dreams of visiting New Orleans.
lover of
▪ Lovers of night life won’t be able to resist the many nightclubs in the area.
▷ enthusiast /ɪnˈθjuːziæstǁ-ˈθuː-/ [countable noun]
someone who likes a subject, activity, performer etc very much, is very interested in them and knows a lot about them :
▪ Enthusiasts are willing to pay up to $12,000 for an original copy of the book.
football/film/jazz etc enthusiast
▪ Golf enthusiasts will be able to see the tournament live on TV.
▪ The exhibition will be of interest to classic car owners and other motoring enthusiasts.
▷ freak /friːk/ [countable noun] informal
someone who is extremely interested in a particular activity, especially when other people think they are a little strange for liking it so much :
health/tv/sports etc freak
▪ Raw vegetables and nuts have always been a favourite with health-food freaks.
▪ One Beatle’s freak is reported to have paid $18,000 for Paul McCartney’s birth certificate.
▷ junkie/addict /ˈdʒʌŋki, ˈædɪkt/ [countable noun] informal
someone who does, eats, watches etc something a lot because they enjoy it so much that they cannot stop doing it - use this especially when you do not think someone should be spending so much time doing or being involved in a particular thing :
TV/news/fast food etc junkie
▪ If you’re a shopping junkie, then this is the channel for you!
▪ You’d have to be a real political junkie to remember that Tsongas won the New Hampshire Primary in 1992.
TV/news/fast food etc addict
▪ My sons and my husband are all football addicts.
▷ devotee /ˌdevəˈtiː/ [countable noun] formal
someone who likes something such as art or literature very much and spends a lot of their time and money on it :
▪ He’s a devotee of old Hollywood movies.
▪ Urquhart, a rich devotee of the arts, made generous donations to the museum.
6. something that you like
▷ likes and dislikes /ˌlaɪks ənd ˈdɪslaɪks/ [noun phrase]
all the things you like and do not like :
▪ She never lets her personal likes and dislikes affect the way she treats people.
▪ Employees were asked about their likes and dislikes, and also about how they felt about their working conditions.
▷ somebody’s passion/somebody’s love / somebodyˈs ˈpæʃ ə n, somebodyˈs ˈlʌv/ [countable noun]
something that you are deeply interested in and which you like so much that you are always excited about it :
▪ Donna’s latest passion is cooking and eating Mexican food.
somebody’s great/first love
▪ My father’s great love was fishing.
7. to like someone
▷ like /laɪk/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to think someone has good qualities so that you feel friendly towards them :
▪ I’ve always liked Sally - she’s a lot of fun.
▪ Everybody liked Mr. Schofield, but he wasn’t a very good teacher.
▪ I never really liked her - she was always a bit stuck-up and condescending.
▷ be fond of /biː ˈfɒnd ɒvǁ-ˈfɑːnd-/ [verb phrase]
to like someone very much, especially when you have known them for a long time :
▪ You’re very fond of Tyler, aren’t you?
▪ Over the years, the old man grew very fond of his nurse.
▷ be attached to /biː əˈtætʃt tuː/ [verb phrase]
to like someone that you have known for a long time, so that you would be upset if they left you :
▪ We’ve grown quite attached to you, Annie, and we’ll be very sorry to see you leave.
▪ Nurses can easily get too attached to their patients.
▷ have a soft spot for /hæv ə ˌsɒft ˈspɒt fɔːʳǁ-ˌsɔːft ˈspɑːt-/ [verb phrase not in progressive] informal
to like one person in particular more than the other people in a group :
▪ She’s always had a soft spot for her youngest grandson.
▪ I’ve had a soft spot for Janet ever since she took my side in the argument I had with Jimmy.
▷ see something in /ˈsiː something ɪn/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to like someone because of a particular quality that they have, especially when other people do not notice that quality in them :
▪ Tom’s so innocent. He only sees the good in everyone he meets.
▪ I can’t figure out what Doug sees in her.
▷ a man/woman after your own heart /ə ˌmæn, ˌwʊmən ɑːftəʳ jɔːr ˌəʊn ˈhɑːʳtǁ-æf-/ [noun phrase] spoken
someone that you like because they have the same attitudes that you have, or like the same things that you like :
▪ I like the way she runs her business - a woman after my own heart.
▷ hit it off /ˌhɪt ɪt ˈɒf/ [verb phrase]
if two people hit it off, they like each other, especially as soon as they meet :
▪ Art Howe asked him to come for an interview for the coaching job, and the two men hit it off immediately.
▪ Those two didn’t really hit it off at first, did they?
hit it off with
▪ You can’t expect to hit it off with everyone you meet.
8. to begin to like someone
▷ get/grow/come to like /ˌget, ˌgrəʊ, ˌkʌm tə ˈlaɪk/ [verb phrase]
to begin to like someone, especially someone that you did not like at first :
▪ At first I thought she was a bit weird, but now I’m getting to like her.
▪ Over the years, we grew to like each other, despite our differences.
▪ I’ve gradually come to like Larry and his eccentric habits.
▷ warm to /ˈwɔːʳm tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb not in passive]
to begin to like someone and feel friendly towards them :
▪ Her heart warmed to Amos. He was obviously a man who loved animals.
▪ She was very nervous about introducing James to her children, but they warmed to him immediately.
▷ take to/take a liking to /ˈteɪk tuː, ˌteɪk ə ˈlaɪkɪŋ tuː/ [transitive verb not in passive]
to begin to like someone, especially when you have only known them for a very short time :
▪ I introduced Anders to my brother and they took to each other immediately.
▪ When Nicky takes to someone the way he’s taken to you, he’s your friend for life.
▪ They only met yesterday, but I can tell Jim’s taken a great liking to the girl.
9. to make someone like you
▷ endear yourself to /ɪnˈdɪəʳ jɔːʳself tu:/ [verb phrase]
to make someone like you by behaving in a way that pleases them :
▪ ‘Can I help you Mrs Killigarew’ he said, hoping to endear himself to her by remembering her name.
▪ She was witty and charming and quickly managed to endear herself to her future mother-in-law.
▷ get on the right side of somebody British informal also get on somebody’s good side American informal /ˌget ɒn ðə ˌraɪt ˈsaɪd əv somebody, ˌget ɒn somebodyˈs ˌgʊd ˈsaɪd/ [verb phrase]
to do nice things for someone and avoid making them angry, in order to be sure they like you :
▪ He’s only sent me flowers because he’s trying to get on the right side of me.
▪ Chris doesn’t care what he has to say to get on Miller’s good side.
▷ win the hearts of /ˌwɪn ðə ˈhɑːʳts ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to make a lot of people like you very much, especially by doing something that they admire or approve of :
▪ With the words, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner,’ J.F. Kennedy won the hearts of millions of Germans.
▪ The slight, nervous-looking young gymnast won the hearts of a whole nation.