Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LIKE, n. [elliptically, for like thing, like event, like person.]

1. Some person or thing resembling another; an equal. The like may never happen again. He was a man, take him for all and all, / I shall not look upon his like again. – Shak.
2. Had like, in the phrase, “he had like to be defeated,” seems to be a corruption; but perhaps like here is used for resemblance or probability, and has the character of a noun. At any rate, as a phrase, it is authorized by good usage.

LIKE, v.i.

1. To be pleased; to choose. He may go or stay as he likes. – Locke.
2. To like of, to be pleased. [Obs.] – Knolls.

LIKE, v.t. [Sax. licean, lician; Goth. leikan; probably L. placeo and delecto, with prefixes.]

1. To be pleased with in a moderate degree; to approve. It expresses less than love and delight. We like a plan or design, when we approve of it as correct or beneficial. We like the character or conduct of a man when it comports with our view of rectitude. We like food that the taste relishes. We like whatever gives us pleasure. He proceeded from looking to liking, and from liking to loving. – Sidney.
2. To please; to be agreeable to. This desire being recommended to her majesty, it liked her to include the same within one entire lease. [Obs.] – Bacon.
3. To liken. [Obs.]

LIKE'LI-HOOD, n. [likely and hood.]

1. Probability; verisimilitude; appearance of truth or reality. There is little likelihood that an habitual drunkard will become temperate. There is little likelihood that an old offender will be reformed. Prudence directs us not to undertake a design, when there is little or no likelihood of success.
2. Appearance; show; resemblance. [Obs.] – Shak.

LIKE'LI-NESS, n. [from likely.]

1. Probability.
2. The qualities that please. [See Likely.]

LIKE'LY, a. [that is, like-like.]

1. Probable; that may be rationally thought or believed to have taken place in time past, or to be true now or hereafter; such as is more reasonable than the contrary. A likely story, is one which evidence, or the circumstances of the case render probable, and therefore credible.
2. Such as may be liked; pleasing; as, a likely man or woman. [This use of likely is not obsolete, as Johnson affirms, nor is it vulgar. But the English and their descendants in America differ in the application. The English apply the word to external appearance, and with them, likely is equivalent to handsome, well-formed; as, a likely man, a likely horse. In America, the word is usually applied to the endowments of the mind, or to pleasing accomplishments. With us, a likely man, is a man of good character and talents, or of good dispositions or accomplishments, that render him pleasing or respectable.]

LIKE'LY, adv.

Probably. While man was innocent, he was likely ignorant of nothing important for him to know. – Glanville.

LIKE-MIND'ED, a.

Having a like disposition or purpose. – Rom. xv.

LIK'EN, v.t. [li'kn; Sw. likna; Dan. ligner.]

To compare; to represent as resembling or similar. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, that built his house on a rock. – Matth. vi.

LIK'EN-ED, pp.

Compared.

LIKE'NESS, n.

1. Resemblance in form; similitude. The picture is a good likeness of the original.
2. Resemblance; form; external appearance. Guard against an enemy in the likeness of a friend.
3. One that resembles another; a copy; a counterpart. I took you for your likeness, Chloe. – Prior.
4. An image, picture or statue, resembling a person or thing. – Exod. xx.

LIK'EN-ING, n.

The forming of resemblance.

LIK'EN-ING, ppr.

Comparing; representing as similar.

LIKE'WISE, comp. [like and wise.]

In like manner; also; moreover; too. For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. – Ps. xlix.

LIK'ING, n.

1. A good state of body; healthful appearance; plumpness. Their young ones are in good liking. – Job xxxix.
2. State of trial. [Not used.] – Dryden.
3. Inclination; pleasure; as, this is an amusement to your liking. – Spenser.
4. Delight in; pleasure in; with to. He who has no liking to the whole, ought not to censure the parts. – Dryden.

LIK'ING, ppr. [of like.]

1. Approving; being pleased with.
2. adj. Plump; full; of a good appearance. – Dan. i. [Obs.]

LI'LAC, n. [Fr. lilas; Sp. lilac.]

A plant or shrub of the genus Syringa, a native of Persia. The common lilac is cultivated for its flowers, which are purple or white.

LIL'A-LITE, n.

A species of earth of the argillaceous kind; called also Lepidolite, – which see. – Kirwan.

LIL-I-A'CEOUS, a. [L. liliaceus, from lilium, a lily.]

Pertaining to lilies; lily-like. A liliaceous corol is one that has six regular petals, or segments of the corol. – Martyn.

LIL'I-ED, a.

Embellished with lilies. By sandy Ladon's lilied banks. – Milton.

LILL, v.t. [See Loll. But lill is used in New England.]

– Spenser.

LILT, v.i.

1. To do any thing with dexterity or quickness. [Local.] – Pegge.
2. To sing or play on the bagpipe.

LIL'Y, n. [L. lilium; Gr. λειριον; Sp. lirio.]

The English popular name of a genus of plants of many species, which are all bulbous-rooted, herbaceous perennials, producing bell-shaped, hexapetalous flowers of great beauty and variety of colors. – Encyc. Lily of the valley, a plant of the genus Convallaria, with a monopetalous, bell-shaped coral, divided at the top into six segments.

LIL-Y-DAF'FO-DIL, n.

A plant and flower.

LIL'Y-HAND-ED, a.

Having white delicate hands. – Spenser.