I. ˈlīk verb
( liked ; lik·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English līcian; akin to Old English gelīc alike
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb
1. chiefly dialect : to be suitable or agreeable to
I like onions but they don't like me
2.
a. : to feel attraction toward or take pleasure in : enjoy
like s baseball
b. : to feel toward : regard
how would you like a change
3. : to wish to have : want
would like a drink
4. : to do well in
this plant like s dry soil
my car does not like cold weather
intransitive verb
1. dialect : approve
2. : to feel inclined : choose , prefer
leave any time you like
II. noun
Date: 1851
1. : liking , preference
2. : something that one likes
III. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, alteration of ilich, from Old English gelīc like, alike, from ge-, associative prefix + līc body; akin to Old High German gilīh like, alike, Lithuanian lygus like — more at co-
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : the same or nearly the same (as in appearance, character, or quantity)
suits of like design
— formerly used with as, unto, of
it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren — Hebrews 2:17(Authorized Version)
b. chiefly British : closely resembling the subject or original
the portrait is very like
2. : likely
the importance of statistics as the one discipline like to give accuracy of mind — H. J. Laski
IV. preposition
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : having the characteristics of : similar to
his house is like a barn
it's like when we were kids
b. : typical of
was like him to do that
c. : comparable to : approximating
costs something like fifty cents
2. : in the manner of : similarly to
acts like a fool
3. : as though there would be
looks like rain
4. : such as
a subject like physics
5. — used to form intensive or ironic phrases
fought like hell
like fun he did
laughed like anything
V. noun
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : one that is similar : counterpart , equal
have…never seen the like before — Sir Winston Churchill
b. : kind 4a — usually used with a preceding possessive
put him and his like to some job — J. R. R. Tolkien
2. : one of many that are similar to each other — used chiefly in proverbial expressions
like breeds like
•
- and the like
- the likes of
VI. adverb
Date: 14th century
1. archaic : equally
2. : likely , probably
you'll try it, some day, like enough — Mark Twain
3.
a. : to some extent : rather , altogether
saunter over nonchalantly like — Walter Karig
b. — used interjectionally in informal speech often to emphasize a word or phrase (as in “He was, like, gorgeous”) or for an apologetic, vague, or unassertive effect (as in “I need to, like, borrow some money”)
4. : nearly : approximately
the actual interest is more like 18 percent
— used interjectionally in informal speech with expressions of measurement
it was, like , five feet long
goes there every day, like
•
- as like as not
VII. conjunction
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : as if
middle-aged men who looked like they might be out for their one night of the year — Norman Mailer
b. — used in intensive phrases
drove like mad
hurts like crazy
2. : in the same way that : as
they raven down scenery like children do sweetmeats — John Keats
3.
a. : in the way or manner that
the violin sounds like an old masterpiece should
did it like you told me
b. — used interjectionally in informal speech often with the verb be to introduce a quotation, paraphrase, or thought expressed by or imputed to the subject of the verb, or with it's to report a generally held opinion
so I'm like , “Give me a break”
it's like , “Who cares what he thinks?”
4. : such as
a bag like a doctor carries
when your car has trouble — like when it won't start
— used interjectionally in informal speech
often stays up late, until like three in the morning
Usage:
Like has been used as a conjunction since the 14th century. In the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries it was used in serious literature, but not often; in the 17th and 18th centuries it grew more frequent but less literary. It became markedly more frequent in literary use again in the 19th century. By mid-century it was coming under critical fire, but not from grammarians, oddly enough, who were wrangling over whether it could be called a preposition or not. There is no doubt that, after 600 years of use, conjunctive like is firmly established. It has been used by many prestigious literary figures of the past, though perhaps not in their most elevated works; in modern use it may be found in literature, journalism, and scholarly writing. While the present objection to it is perhaps more heated than rational, someone writing in a formal prose style may well prefer to use as, as if, such as, or an entirely different construction instead.
VIII. verbal auxiliary
or liked ˈlīkt
Date: 15th century
chiefly dialect : came near : was near
so loud I like to fell out of bed — Helen Eustis