“like” – English explanatory dictionary

adj similar, nearly the same ○ sociology, psychology and like subjects. Antonym dissimilar ■ prep 1. similar to, in the same way as ○ What’s that record? – it sounds like Elgar. ○ He’s like his mother in many ways, but he has his father’s nose. ○ Like you, I don’t get on with the new boss. ○ The picture doesn’t look like him at all. ○ He can swim like a fish. ○ It tastes like strawberries. □ it feels like snow it feels as if it is going to snow □ do you feel like a cup of coffee? do you want a cup of coffee? 2. asking someone to describe something ○ What was the weather like when you were on holiday? ○ What’s he like, her new boyfriend? ■ adv □ as like as not probably ○ As like as not, Dan will arrive late. ■ conj in the same way as ○ She looks just like I did at her age. ■ verb 1. to have pleasant feelings about something or someone ○ Do you like the new manager? ○ She doesn’t like eating meat. ○ How does he like his new job? ○ No one likes driving in rush hour traffic. ○ In the evening, I like to sit quietly and read the newspaper. 2. to want ○ I’d like you to meet one of our sales executives. ○ I’d like to go to Paris next week. ○ Take as many apples as you like. ■ noun 1. a thing which you like ○ We try to take account of the likes and dislikes of individual customers. 2. □ the likes of someone like ○ The likes of him should not be allowed in.

(lik), a. [Compar. Liker (lik´er); superl. Likest.] [OE. lik, ilik, gelic, AS. gelic, fr. pref. ge- + lic body, and orig. meaning, having the same body, shape, or appearance, and hence, like; akin to OS. gilik, D. gelijk, G. gleich, OHG. gilih, Icel. likr, glikr, Dan. lig, Sw. lik, Goth. galeiks, OS. lik body, D. lijk, G. leiche, Icel. lik, Sw. lik, Goth. leik. The English adverbial ending-ly is from the same adjective. Cf. Each, Such, Which.]
1. Having the same, or nearly the same, appearance, qualities, or characteristics; resembling; similar to; similar; alike; — often with in and the particulars of the resemblance; as they are like each other in features, complexion, and many traits of character. “’T is as like you
As cherry is to cherry.” Shak. “Like master, like man.” Old Prov. “He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.” Ps. cxlvii. 16. To, which formerly often followed like, is now usually omitted.
2. Equal, or nearly equal; as fields of like extent. “More clergymen were impoverished by the late war than ever in the like space before.” Sprat.
3. Having probability; affording probability; probable; likely. [Likely is more used now.] Shak. “But it is like the jolly world about us will scoff at the paradox of these practices.” South. “Many were not easy to be governed, nor like to conform themselves to strict rules.” Clarendon.
4. Inclined toward; disposed to; as to feel like taking a walk. Had like (followed by the infinitive), had nearly; came little short of. “Had like to have been my utter overthrow.” Sir W. Raleigh “Ramona had like to have said the literal truth, … but recollected herself in time.” Mrs. H. H. Jackson. Like figures (Geom.), similar figures. Like is used as a suffix, converting nouns into adjectives expressing resemblance to the noun; as manlike, like a man; childlike, like a child; godlike, like a god, etc. Such compounds are readily formed whenever convenient, and several, as crescentlike, serpentlike, hairlike, etc., are used in this book, although, in some cases, not entered in the vocabulary. Such combinations as bell-like, ball- like, etc., are hyphened.

n. 1. That which is equal or similar to another; the counterpart; an exact resemblance; a copy. “He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.” Shak.
2. A liking; a preference; inclination; — usually in pl.; as we all have likes and dislikes.

adv. [AS. gelice. See Like, a.]
1. In a manner like that of; in a manner similar to; as do not act like him. “He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.” Job xii. 25. Like, as here used, is regarded by some grammarians as a preposition.
2. In a like or similar manner. Shak. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Ps. ciii. 13.
3. Likely; probably. ´Like enough it will.´ Shak.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. Liked (likt); p. pr. & vb. n. Liking.] [OE. liken to please, AS. lician, gelician, fr. gelic. See Like, a.]
1. To suit; to please; to be agreeable to. [Obs.] “Cornwall him liked best, therefore he chose there.” R. of Gloucester. “I willingly confess that it likes me much better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am bound to seek it in an ill-favored creature.” Sir P. Sidney.
2. To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve; to take satisfaction in; to enjoy. “He proceeded from looking to liking, and from liking to loving.” Sir P. Sidney.
3. To liken; to compare.[Obs.] “Like me to the peasant boys of France.” Shak.