1 like
/ˈlaɪk/
verb
likes;
liked;
liking
1 like
/ˈlaɪk/
verb
likes;
liked;
liking
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
1
[+ object]
a
:
to enjoy (something)
:
to get pleasure from (something)
-
My son likes baseball.
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He likes baseball, but he loves football.
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Do you like Mexican food?
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I liked the movie a lot more than I thought I would.
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She likes (it) that I play the guitar. = She likes the fact that I play the guitar.
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She likes it when I play the guitar. [=she enjoys hearing me play the guitar]
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I like it very much. = I really like it. = (chiefly Brit) I quite like it.
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— often + -ing verb
-
I like playing the guitar.
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He doesn't like admitting that he was wrong.
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— often followed by to + verb
-
I like to play the guitar.
-
He doesn't like to admit that he was wrong.
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b
:
to regard (something) in a favorable way
-
I don't like the idea of leaving my mother alone all week. [=I don't think that it would be a good idea to leave my mother alone all week]
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I wouldn't like it if you got the wrong idea. = I wouldn't like you to get the wrong idea. = (US) I wouldn't like for you to get the wrong idea. [=I don't want you to get the wrong idea]
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2
[+ object]
:
to feel affection for (someone)
:
to enjoy being with (someone)
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I don't know what it is about that guy, but I just don't like him.
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I think she likes you. [=I think she is attracted to you]
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They were political allies who truly/genuinely liked each other.
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What is it that you like or dislike about him most?
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a much-liked/well-liked colleague
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She says she likes him as a friend but she's not attracted to him.
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My boss was a tough guy, but I liked him for his honesty.
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3
[+ object]
— used to ask about someone's feelings or opinion about something
-
So how do you like sailing now that you've tried it? [=do you like or dislike sailing?]
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“How do you like this weather?” “I don't like it at all!”
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“How do you like Mexican food?” “I love it!”
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4
[+ object]
a
:
to want to have (something)
— used with would to make a polite suggestion, offer, or request
-
Would you like another cup of coffee?
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“Would anyone like a drink?” “Yes, I'd like one, please.”
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I'd like (a chance) to reply to the last speaker.
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b
:
to want or prefer to do something
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Would you like to go sailing? [=do you want to go sailing?]
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Despite everything, I (would) still like to think that people are basically good.
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c
— used in various spoken phrases that typically express anger or surprise
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She left without saying a word to me. How would you like it if someone ignored you that way? = How would you like being ignored that way? = How would you like to be ignored that way? [=don't you agree that it was wrong of her to ignore me that way?]
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“So she just left without saying a word. How do you like that?” “Incredible!”
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(Brit) “You never listen!” “I never listen? I like that! ” [=that's not at all true/fair]
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“You're an idiot!” “How would you like a punch in the nose?!” [=I'm going to punch you in the nose if you keep talking to me that way]
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“He thinks he can beat you.” “I'd (just) like to see him try!” [=he can't beat me; he would lose if he tried to beat me]
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5
[+ object]
:
to choose or prefer to have (something) in a specified way or condition
-
“How do you like your steaks cooked?” “I like my steaks medium rare.”
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6
[no object]
:
to make a choice about what to do, have, etc.
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You can leave any time you like.
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“What should we do now?” “Whatever you like!” [=whatever you want to do]
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We can stay as long as you like. [=as long as you want to stay]
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There are plenty of cookies, so take as many as you like.
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7
[+ object]
:
to do well in (certain conditions)
-
This plant likes dry soil.
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My car does not like cold weather.
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if you like
1
a
— used to say that you can do something if you want to do it
-
Have another drink, if you like.
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b
— used to agree politely to a suggestion or request
-
“Could we stay a little longer?” “Yes, if you like.” [=if that's what you want to do]
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2
chiefly British
— used to suggest a possible way of describing or thinking about something
-
The experience was, if you like [=if you will], a glimpse of the future.
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2 like
/ˈlaɪk/
noun
plural
likes
2 like
/ˈlaɪk/
noun
plural
likes
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
[count]
:
something that you like, approve of, or enjoy
— usually plural
-
my likes and dislikes
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— compare 5like
3 like
/ˈlaɪk/
preposition
3 like
/ˈlaɪk/
preposition
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
1
:
similar to (something or someone)
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The house looks like a barn.
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Real life isn't at all like life in the movies. = Real life isn't at all like the movies.
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It's like when we were kids.
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She's not very (much) like her sister.
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She's not at all like her sister.
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The baby is/looks more like his mother than his father.
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“Who is he like?” “He's not like anyone I've ever met before.”
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I know I used to be selfish, but I'm not like that any more. [=I'm not selfish any more]
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— used with what in phrases that ask about or refer to the qualities of a person or thing
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“What's her new boyfriend like?” [=how would you describe her new boyfriend?] “He's very nice.”
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I don't know what the food is like in that restaurant. [=I don't know if the food is good or bad in that restaurant]
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I thought he was nice, but then I found out what he's really like. [=I found out what kind of person he really is]
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She knows what it's like to be lonely. = She knows what it feels like to be lonely.
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2
:
typical of (someone)
-
It's just like him to be late. [=he is often late]
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It's not like her to be so selfish. [=she is not usually so selfish]
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3
:
comparable to or close to (something)
-
It costs something like five dollars. [=it costs about five dollars]
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(chiefly Brit) That's nothing like [=nowhere near, not nearly] enough food!
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I thought it would only take two or three minutes, but it ended up taking more like half an hour. [=it took about half an hour]
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There's nothing like [=nothing better than] a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night.
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4
:
in a way that is similar to (someone or something)
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Quit acting like a fool.
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She was screaming like a maniac.
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We'll blow it up like a balloon.
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He was laughing like a hyena.
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5
— used to introduce an example or series of examples
-
They studied subjects like [=such as] physics (and chemistry).
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it looks like rain
— used to say that you think it is going to rain soon
-
I was going to play golf, but it looks like rain.
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just like that
— see 2just
like father, like son
— see 1father
like new
— see 1new
like so
:
in the manner shown
— used in speech when you are showing someone how to do something
-
The corner of the cloth should be folded down, like so.
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like that
1
:
of that kind
-
I love books like that.
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2
:
in that manner
-
Why does she talk like that?
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like this
1
:
of this kind
-
I love weather like this.
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2
:
in this manner
-
I hate it when it rains like this.
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more like it
informal
— used to say that something is better or more pleasing
-
“I've done twice as much today as yesterday!” “Well, that's more like it! Congratulations!”
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It was a long and tiring day, but as the waiter brought me my dinner, I thought to myself, “Well, this is more like it.”
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4 like
/ˈlaɪk/
adjective
4 like
/ˈlaɪk/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
:
having the same or similar qualities
-
All three sisters have like [=(more commonly) similar] dispositions.
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5 like
/ˈlaɪk/
noun
plural
likes
5 like
/ˈlaɪk/
noun
plural
likes
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
[count]
:
a person or thing that is similar to another person or thing
-
We may never see his like again. [=we may never see another person who is like him again]
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It was a beautiful sunset. I've never seen the like before.
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also
:
a group of similar people or things
-
He and his like [=type] tend to scare people away from the cause.
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comparing like with like [=comparing similar people or things]
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and the like
:
and others of a similar kind
:
and so forth
-
They told stories about ghosts and vampires and the like.
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the likes of
also
the like of
1
:
such people as
-
She has read the complete works of many great writers, including the likes of Jane Austen and Robert Browning.
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2
disapproving
:
such a person as
-
We have no use for the likes of you.
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3
:
the kind or sort of
-
It was a beautiful sunset, the likes of which I've never seen before. [=I've never seen such a beautiful sunset before]
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— compare 2like
6 like
/ˈlaɪk/
adverb
6 like
/ˈlaɪk/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
as like as not
or
like as not
:
probably
-
Like as not the crime will never be solved.
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Usage
Like has many uses in informal speech, especially in the speech of young people. It is commonly used to emphasize a word or phrase.
-
He was, like, gorgeous.
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(chiefly Brit) He was gorgeous, like.
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It is used in a way that shows you are not sure or confident about what you are saying.
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I need to, like, borrow money.
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Her father is, like, a scientist or something.
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I think it costs, like, 20 dollars.
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In very informal speech in U.S. English, it is used with the verb be to say what someone thinks, says, etc.
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She was telling me what to do and I was like [=I was thinking], “Mind your own business.”
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She was like, “Are you sure you want to do this?” and I was like “Yeah, why not?” [=she said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” and I said, “Yeah, why not?”]
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He's always criticizing everyone but it's like, “Who cares what he thinks?” [=he's always criticizing everyone but no one cares what he thinks]
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7 like
/ˈlaɪk/
conjunction
7 like
/ˈlaɪk/
conjunction
Britannica Dictionary definition of LIKE
informal
1
a
:
the way it would be if
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The plane looked like [=as if] it would crash.
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It seemed like [=as if] he'd never been away.
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b
:
the way someone would do if
-
She acts like [=as if] she's better than us.
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2
:
the same as
:
as
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You sound just like [=the way] he does.
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Does it look like [=the way, as] it did when you began?
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Does it look now like (it did) before? [=does it look now as it did before?]
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Real life is not like [=as, the way] it is in the movies.
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Real life isn't at all like [=the way] the movies are.
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Like I said [=as I said] before, you've got to try harder.
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3
:
in the way or manner that
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I did it like [=the way, just as] you told me.
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4
:
such as
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a bag like a doctor carries [=a bag like the kind of bag that a doctor carries]
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The book tells you what to do when your car has trouble—like when it won't start. [=as, for example, when it won't start]
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Usage
The use of like as a conjunction is regarded by some people as an error. It occurs mainly in speech and informal writing.
