- like
- I
[[t]laɪk[/t]]adj. (Poetic)lik•er, lik•est, prep. adv. conj. n. interj.1) of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.:I cannot remember a like instance[/ex]2) corresponding or agreeing in general or in some noticeable respect; similar; analogous:drawing, painting, and like arts[/ex]3) bearing resemblance4) dial. Dial. likely5) similarly to; in the manner characteristic of:She works like a beaver[/ex]6) resembling; similar to:Your necklace is like mine[/ex]7) characteristic of:It would be like him to forget our appointment[/ex]8) as if there is promise of; indicative of:It looks like rain[/ex]9) disposed or inclined to (usu. prec. by feel):to feel like going to bed[/ex]10) (used correlatively to indicate similarity through relationship):like father, like son[/ex]11) (used to establish an intensifying, often facetious, comparison):ran like hell; sleeps like a log[/ex]12) nearly; approximately:The house is more like 40 years old[/ex]13) inf likely or probably:Like enough he'll come with us[/ex]14) fun in the same way as; just as; as:It happened like you said it would[/ex]15) fun as if:He acted like he was afraid[/ex]16) inf inf (used esp. after forms ofbeto introduce reported speech or thought):She's like,"I don't believe it" and I'm like,"No, it's true!"[/ex]17) a similar or comparable person or thing, or persons or things; counterpart, match, or equal (usu. prec. by a possessive adjective or the):No one has seen her like in a long time[/ex]18) kind; sort (usu. prec. by a possessive adjective):I despise toadies and their like[/ex]19) the like, something of a similar nature:They grow oranges, lemons, and the like[/ex]20) cvb inf Informal. (used preceding a WH-word, an answer to a question, or other information in a sentence on which the speaker wishes to focus attention):Like, why didn't you write to me? The music was, like, really great[/ex]•Etymology: 1150–1200; ME lic, lik < ON līkr, reduced form of glīkr; see alike lik′er, n. usage: like as a conjunction meaning “as, in the same way as” (Many shoppers study the food ads like brokers study market reports) or “as if” (It looks like it will rain) has been used for nearly 500 years and by many distinguished literary and intellectual figures. Since the mid-19th century there have been objections to these uses. Nevertheless, such uses are almost universal today in all but the most formal speech and writing, in which as, as if, and as though are more commonly used than like: The general accepted full responsibility for the incident, as any professional soldier would. Many of the bohemians lived as if (or as though) there were no tomorrow. The strong strictures against the use of like as a conjunction have resulted in the occasional hypercorrect use of as as a preposition where like is idiomatic: She looks as a sympathetic person. See also as IIlike[[t]laɪk[/t]] v. liked, lik•ing, n.1) to take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial to one's taste:to like opera[/ex]2) to regard with favor; have a kindly or friendly feeling for (a person, group, etc.)3) cvb to wish or want:I'd like a piece of cake[/ex]4) to feel inclined; wish:Stay if you like[/ex]5) archaic to suit the tastes or wishes; please6) Usu., likes. the things a person likes•Etymology: bef. 900; ME; OE līcian, c. OS līkōn, OHGlīhhēn, ON līka, Goleikanto please; akin to alike, like I
From formal English to slang. 2014.