LIKE

I. ˈlīk verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Middle English liken, from Old English līcian; akin to Old High German līhhēn to please, Old Norse līka, Gothic leikan; derivative from the root of the second constituent of Old English gelīc like, alike — more at like III

transitive verb

1. chiefly dialect : to be suitable, pleasing, or agreeable to (a person)

at first in heart it liked me ill — Sir Walter Scott

till then, if it likes you — Andrew Lang

2.

a. : to feel attraction toward or take pleasure in : have a liking for

which friend he likes best

: favor

likes some vegetables and dislikes others

: enjoy

likes doing business with them

b. : to affect favorably : agree with : suit

I like onions but they don't like me

: become

she likes red but it doesn't like her

— usually used in negative constructions

3. : to feel toward or concerning : regard — used with how

how would you like to lose your job

how do you like her new hat

learning how he liked the new worker

4. : to wish to have : want

do not like anybody to touch my things — Marjorie Osterman

— often used with a conditional auxiliary

would like a drink

would like you to do it

would like it returned soon

isn't as widely circulated as we would like for it to be — E.B.Atwood

would like for you to look this over

: incline , prefer

cases in which the doctor likes to give an injection

intransitive verb

1. obsolete : to be in a healthy condition : thrive

quinces … will not like in our cold parts — William Lawson

2. now dialect : approve — used with of or with

I daredn't do't; my master wouldn't like of it — Anne Baker

3. : to feel inclined : choose

had salmon almost any time he liked — Edison Marshall

4. : to feel liking : find oneself attracted

would rather like than criticize — E.A.Weeks

Synonyms:

love , enjoy , relish , fancy , dote : like is a general term indicating a viewing or regarding with favor and without aversion, but without great warmth of feeling

liked inns, and farmers, and loafers on the river — H.S.Canby

love (opposed to hate ) does imply ardent attachment and great warmth

I love Henry, but I cannot like him; and as for taking his arm I should as soon think of taking the arm of an elm tree — R.W.Emerson

they loved Maurice too, but more mildly. And, very temperately, they liked their Aunt Rome — Rose Macaulay

loved to roam and was passionately fond of beauty both in nature and in art — H.E.Starr

enjoy suggests taking pleasure or satisfaction in possessing, using, being with, or appreciating what one likes or loves

enjoy a finer degree of civilization than the individuals and the nations around us — Havelock Ellis

seemed to enjoy the beautiful site of that building — Willa Cather

relish applies to an enjoying and savoring of something that gives one peculiar satisfaction or gratification

a paradox that the happiest, most vigorous, and most confident ages which the world has ever known — the Periclean and the Elizabethan — should be exactly those which created and which most relished the mightiest tragedies — J.W.Krutch

a few hundred (not more) choice-loving connoisseurs relish him as the most perfect opportunist in prose — Christopher Morley

fancy may apply to a liking or a taking pleasure in something appealing to one's imagination or to one's personal tastes or whims

yachts, horses, whatever he fancied — George Meredith

would he really fancy a little farm somewhere inland, or would he die of the landlocked loneliness — Frank Ritchie

dote may indicate an excessive or compulsive fondness and liking, often foolish or infatuated

he doted on his daughter Mary; she could do no wrong — Walter Havighurst

you know how servants are. They dote on such yarns — L.C.Douglas

II. noun

( -s )

1. : a feeling of attraction toward a person or thing : liking — usually used in plural

has so many likes in life — and almost as many dislikes — Times Literary Supplement

he now takes violent likes to people — H.J.Laski

2. : something that one likes

black in summer is one of her likes — Holiday

III. adjective

( sometimes liker sometimes likest )

Etymology: Middle English lik, ilik, alteration (influenced by Old Norse glīkr, līkr ) of ilich, from Old English gelīc like, alike; akin to Old High German gilīh like, alike, Old Norse glīkr, līkr, Gothic galeiks; all from a prehistoric Germanic compound having a first constituent represented by Old English ge- (perfective, associative, and collective prefix) and a second constituent represented by Old English līc body, Old High German līh, Old Norse līk, Gothic leik; akin to Lithuanian lygus like, equal — more at co-

1.

a. : the same or nearly the same (as in nature, appearance, or quantity)

members of the cat family have like dispositions

fabrics of like consistency

: equal or nearly equal

gave one six blows and the other a like number

gave a thousand dollars before and a like sum now

his own card and others of like value — J.B.Pick

: corresponding

the like period during the preceding year

: identical , indistinguishable

as like as two peas

: similar

hospitals and like institutions for the sick or disabled

— formerly used with as, unto, of

in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren — Heb. 2:17 (Authorized Version)

— formerly and sometimes now used with to, with

like to the soft caress bestowed … by loving fingers — Phoenix Flame

an old Greek was a being of like passions with a modern Engishman — E.A.Freeman

b. : of a form, kind, appearance, or effect resembling or suggesting — used postpositively in combination

a box like seedpod

a home like atmosphere

a life like statue

dog like existence

— used with a hyphen after nouns in -ll

bell- like

and often in nonce or infrequent compounds

president- like

opium- like

c. : faithful to a subject or original

the finished portrait being ever so like

2.

a. : likely

the importance of statistics as the one discipline like to give accuracy of mind — H.J.Laski

b. : being about or as if about — used with the infinitive

it's like to drive me crazy

3. : of the kind befitting or characteristic of — used postpositively in combination

lady like behavior

lawyer like argumentation

Synonyms:

alike , similar , analogous , comparable , akin , parallel , uniform , identical : like is a general word indicating resemblance or similarity ranging from virtual identity in all characteristics to a chance resemblance in only one

convicing only to himself, or to a limited circle of like minds — Times Literary Supplement

alike is similar to like but is less likely to be used for the chance, farfetched resemblance and is generally limited to use in a predicate or postposed situation after a compounded substantive modified

their resemblance as brother and sister … they looked utterly alike — Sinclair Lewis

similar often stresses the likenesses between different things, implying that differences may be overlooked or ignored for a time

Virginia creeper or the deceptively similar poison ivy — American Guide Series: Maryland

regard the attraction which illusion has for us as similar to that which a flame at night has for a moth — M.R.Cohen

analogous indicates presence of some likeness which makes it feasible or permissible to draw from it an analogy, a sustained or appropriate comparison

the two new states would have a position analogous to that of British Dominions — Manchester Guardian Weekly

quite analogous to the emotionalizing of Christian art is the example afforded by the evolution of the Latin hymn — H.O.Taylor

comparable indicates a likeness on one point or a limited number of points which permits a limited or casual comparison or matching together

the Syrians … with Arabian coffee, served thick and strong in tiny cups, as a national drink comparable to the Englishman's tea — American Guide Series: Rhode Island

comparable is especially likely to be used in connection with considerations of merit, standing, rank, or power

neither in military nor industrial terms is China comparable to the other three great powers — Vera M. Dean

akin , limited to use in postpositive situations, indicates an essential likeness, sometimes the sort of likeness found in kinship, in common descent from an original ancestor, prototype, or ancestral stock

the Mongols of Outer Mongolia … are akin to those of the neighboring Buryat-Mongol A.S.S.R. — Foreign Affairs

real nursery tales, akin to Brer Rabbit — Times Literary Supplement

science … is akin to democracy in its faith in human intelligence and cooperative effort — H.J.Muller

parallel is used to indicate the fact of similarities over a course of development throughout a history or account or the fact of resemblances or likenesses permitting a setting or bracketing together as though side by side

the almost parallel growth of the Twin Cities — American Guide Series: Minnesota

parallel to the classic and academic Italian school was one with a more distinctive native feeling — Paul Manship

parallel to the powers of the king were the powers of the father in the individual household — Ralph Linton

uniform suggests a likeness and similarity throughout, a lack of noticeable variation wherever things in question occur or operate

one of the most fundamental social interests is that law shall be uniform and impartial — B.N.Cardozo

schools … no longer expect all children to learn to read at a uniform rate — Education Digest

identical indicates either the fact of being the same person or thing or, in connection with things copied, reproduced, or repeated, an exact correspondence with no significant difference being involved

George Eliot and Mary Ann Evans were identical

the interests of workers and their employers were not altogether identical — M.R.Cohen

his home life and his life as a man of letters are never identical — H.S.Canby

•

- like as we lie

- something like

IV. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English lik, like, ilik, ilike, from lik, ilik, adjective — more at like III

1.

a. : a person or thing similar or equal to the one referred to : sort of person : kind

made it hard for you and your like — C.S.Lewis

: counterpart

not less talented than his French or English like — New Republic

: equal

scarcely expect to hear its like again — A.N.Whitehead

— usually used with a possessive adjective

b. archaic : a person or thing similar to another — used chiefly in proverbial expressions

like breeds like

2. : a stroke in golf that will make equal the number of strokes played by opposing players or sides

•

- the like

- the like of

V. adverb

( sometimes -er/-est )

Etymology: Middle English lik, like, ilik, ilike, from lik, ilik, adjective — more at like III

1. archaic : alike , equally — used to qualify an adjective or adverb

hut and palace show like filthily — Lord Byron

2. : likely , probably — now usually used in the phrase like enough

you'll try it, some day, like enough — Mark Twain

3.

a. : in some degree or to some extent : rather — used sometimes with a hyphen as a limiting modifier after adjectives

a small- like wagon

adverbs

saunter over nonchalantly like — Walter Karig

verbs and verb-adverb phrases

he shrunk up like and went away

and sentences

they were working in the field, like

b. substandard : sort of : in a way — used before and after nouns sometimes with a hyphen usually to suggest uncertainty as to the exactness of description

little sort of pictures like on his hat

valley surrounded with like little mountains

c. substandard : in a specified manner or degree — used after adjectives sometimes with a hyphen

raise the children decent like

he spoke knowing- like

4. : nearly

the real rates … are more like 18 per thousand — B.K.Sandwell

•

- as like as not

VI. preposition

Etymology: Middle English lik, like, ilik, ilike, from lik, ilik, adjective & lik, like, ilik, ilike, adverb — more at like IV, like V

1. : of the character of:

a. : typical of

was like him to remember us at Christmas

isn't that just like a man

b. : that compares with : equaling — usually used in negative constructions

no place like home

no fool like an old fool

nothing like a warm bath for relaxing

never saw anything like it

c. : of a like nature with : comparable to — used in questions and noun clauses

what is she like

learn what skiing is like

d. : of the kind indicated by : of such a character as

was autocratic but dictators are like that

have great respect for a man like that

: of the kind represented by

keep people like him in line

2. : in or after the manner of:

a. : in a manner befitting

returned home like a dutiful son

act like gentlemen

treated him like a hero

b. : in the manner indicated : in such a manner as

stop crying like this

can't do it like that

c. : in what manner — used in questions and noun clauses

take the wheel and see what it drives like

3.

a. : the same as or similar to (as in structure, character, appearance, or effect)

foxes are like dogs

she looks like her sister

understood the English character, so much like his own — W.C.Ford

our notion of fair play, like theirs, includes the opponent — Margaret Mead

: of a character or in a manner suggesting

vitamins that are like candy — Journal American Medical Association

the mist is thick like white cotton — Vicki Baum

: resembling, approaching

has done something like justice to its complexity — Lewis Mumford

b. : the same as or similar to that of

heard sounds like a motor running

4. — used correlatively with the force of as … so

like master, like man

5.

a. : as though there would be : indicative of the probable occurrence of

looks like rain

looks like good fishing

b. : as though he, she, or it were or might be

felt like a hypocrite

looks like a smart boy

: as is characteristic of or usual to

sounds like thunder

tastes like grape to me

feeling like himself again

6. : such as

traditional concerns like law and literature — G.B.Saul

7. — used to form intensive or ironic phrases

worked like a house afire

rub out … a backache like nobody's business — Fannie Hurst

sold like hot cakes

screamed like hell

fight like the devil

hurt like anything

like fun he did

•

- like a book

- like that

VII. conjunction

Etymology: like (V)

1.

a. archaic : as of or in the manner of one that is

the look is vivid still nor seems like dead — Thomas Creech

b. — used in intensive phrases

waved like mad

dancing like crazy

2. : in the same way or manner as or to the same degree or extent as

impromptu programs where they ask questions much like I do on the air — Art Linkletter

— often followed by a noun or pronoun representing an incomplete clause whose verb would be the same as that of the main clause

took to figures like a duck to water

looks like they can raise better tobacco — Caroline Gordon

looks like he will get the job

3. : as if : as though

wore his clothes like he was … afraid of getting dirt on them — St. Petersburg (Fla.) Independent

was like he's come back from a long trip

acted like she felt sick

— used especially with intransitive verbs of the senses

sounded like the motor had stopped

4. : in accordance with the way in which : the way that

the violin now sounds like an old masterpiece should — Baton

: in the manner that

did it like he told me to

5.

a. : of the kind that

wanted a doll like she saw in the store window

: such as

anomalies like just had occurred — New Republic

b. : similar to

it was a little like when the war came — Gouverneur Paulding

6. : for example

when your car gives trouble — like when the motor won't start

things that were beginning increasingly to come up — like next week every rifle … had to be turned in — James Jones

VIII. verbal auxiliary

or liked -kt

Etymology: like (III)

now substandard : came near : was near — used with the perfect infinitive sometimes in the reduced form without have

had four quarrels and like to have fought one — Shakespeare

these fellows … had like to a been whipped — Anne Royall

it liked to killed me — John Dos Passos

and sometimes in that form with a substandard past participle identical with a past tense form

I liked to have went crazy — Stetson Kennedy

so loud I like to fell out of bed — Helen Eustis

IX. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: like (III)

obsolete : liken

like me to the peasant boys of France — Shakespeare

X.

chiefly South & Midland

variant of lack

XI. (ˌ)līk interjection

Etymology: like (V)

— used in speech and informal writing to focus attention on a following word, phrase, or clause

terribly upset … like , the most upset I've ever been — Truman Capote

he was, like , gorgeous

or to soften or deemphasize a preceding or following word or phrase

I'm like the straightest member of my family — Huey Lewis

I need to, like , borrow some money

or to suggest approximation

I've been waiting, like , ten minutes