Nearby Words

liking

[lahy-king] Origin

lik·ing

[lahy-king]
noun
1.
preference, inclination, or favor: to show a liking for privacy.
2.
pleasure or taste: much to his liking.
3.
the state or feeling of a person who likes.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English līcung. See like2, -ing1

o·ver·lik·ing, noun
self-lik·ing, adjective, noun
un·der·lik·ing, noun


1. leaning, propensity, predilection, partiality, fondness, affection.


1. antipathy.

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Liking is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

like

1[lahyk] adjective, (Poetic) lik·er, lik·est, preposition, adverb, conjunction, noun, verb, liked, lik·ing, interjection
adjective
1.
of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.: I cannot remember a like instance.
2.
corresponding or agreeing in general or in some noticeable respect; similar; analogous: drawing, painting, and like arts.
3.
bearing resemblance.
4.
Dialect. likely: 'Tis like that he's gone mad.
5.
Dialect. about: The poor chap seemed like to run away.
preposition
6.
in like manner with; similarly to; in the manner characteristic of: He works like a beaver.
7.
resembling (someone or something): He is just like his father. Your necklace is just like mine.
8.
characteristic of: It would be like him to forget our appointment.
9.
as if there is promise of; indicative of: It looks like rain.
10.
as if someone or something gives promise of being: She looks like a good prospect for the job.
EXPAND
11.
disposed or inclined to (usually preceded by feel): to feel like going to bed.
12.
similar or comparable to: There is nothing like a cold drink of water when one is thirsty. What was he like?
13.
(used correlatively to indicate similarity through relationship): like father, like son.
14.
(used to establish an intensifying, often facetious, comparison): sleeping like a log.
15.
as; such as: There are numerous hobbies you might enjoy, like photography or painting.
COLLAPSE
adverb
16.
nearly; closely; approximately: The house is more like 40 than 20 years old.
17.
Informal. likely or probably: Like enough he'll come with us. Like as not her leg is broken.
18.
Nonstandard.
a.
as it were; in a way; somehow.
b.
to a degree; more or less: standing against the wall, looking very tough like.
conjunction
19.
in the same way as; just as; as: It happened like you might expect it would.
20.
as if: He acted like he was afraid. The car runs like new.
21.
Informal. (used especially after forms of be to introduce reported speech or thought): She's like, "I don't believe it," and I'm like, "No, it's true!"
noun
22.
a similar or comparable person or thing, or like persons or things; counterpart, match, or equal (usually preceded by a possessive adjective or the): No one has seen his like in a long time. Like attracts like.
23.
kind; sort; type; ilk (usually preceded by a possessive adjective): I despise moochers and their like.
24.
the like, something of a similar nature: They grow oranges, lemons, and the like.
interjection
25.
Informal. (used especially in speech, often nonvolitionally or habitually, to preface a sentence, to fill a pause, to express uncertainty, or to intensify or neutralize a following adjective): Like, why didn't you write to me? The music was, like, really great, you know?
26.
like anything, Informal. very much; extremely; with great intensity: He wanted like anything to win.
27.
like to, South Midland and Southern U.S. was on the verge of or came close to (doing something): The poor kid like to froze. Also, liked to.
28.
something like, Informal. something approaching or approximating: It looked something like this.
29.
the like/likes of, someone or something similar to; the equal of: I've never seen the like of it anywhere.

Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English lic, lik < Old Norse līkr; replacing Old English gelīc, cognate with Dutch gelijk, German gleich, Old Norse glīkr, Gothic galeiks like, literally, of the same body or form. See y-, lich

lik·er, noun


Like1 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, often vehement, to these uses. Nevertheless, such uses are almost universal today in all but the most formal speech and writing. EXPANDIn extremely careful speech and in much formal writing, as, as if, and as though are more commonly used than like: The commanding general accepted full responsibility for the incident, as any professional soldier would. Many of the Greenwich Village 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.
Like meaning “as if” is also standard in informal speech and writing with a small number of adjectives: The crew worked like crazy (or like mad) to finish the job on time. See also as.

COLLAPSE

like

2[lahyk] verb, liked, lik·ing, noun
verb (used with object)
1.
to take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial: We all liked the concert.
2.
to regard with favor; have a kindly or friendly feeling for (a person, group, etc.); find attractive: His parents like me and I like them.
3.
to wish or prefer: You can do exactly as you like while you are a guest here.
verb (used without object)
4.
to feel inclined; wish: We'll have lunch whenever you like.
5.
Archaic. to suit the tastes or wishes; please.
noun
6.
Usually, likes. the things a person likes: a long list of likes and dislikes.
7.
would like. would (def. 10).

Origin:
before 900; Middle English liken, Old English līcian; cognate with Dutch lijken, Old Norse līka; see like1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To liking
Collins
World English Dictionary
liking (ˈlaɪkɪŋ)
 
n
1.  the feeling of a person who likes; fondness
2.  a preference, inclination, or pleasure

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

like
O.E. lician "to please," from P.Gmc. *likojanan (cf. O.N. lika, O.Fris. likia, O.H.G. lihhen, Goth. leikan "to please"), from *liko- "body," originally "appearance, form." The basic meaning seems to be "to be like" (see like (adj.)), thus, "to be suitable." Like (and dislike)
EXPAND
originally flowed the other way: It likes me, where we would say I like it. The modern version began to appear late 14c.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary

like definition


  1. interj.
    an emphatic or meaningless word that, when said frequently, marks the speaker as speaking in a very casual or slangy mode. (See also like, you know. Used in writing only for effect.) : This is, like, so silly!
  2. interj.
    a particle meaning roughly saying. (Always with some form of be. Never used in formal writing.) : And I'm like, “Well, you should have put your hat on!”
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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