Meaning of like In English

• 0 to enjoy or approve of something or someone:

  • I like your new haircut.

  • Do you like fish?

  • I like it when a book is so good that you can't put it down.

  • I quite like wine but I could live without it.

  • He's very well-liked (= popular) at work.

  • I like the way he just assumes we'll listen to him when he doesn't take in a word anyone else says! (= I don't like it and it annoys me.)

  • [ + -ing verb ] I don't like upsetting people.

  • [ + to infinitive ] He likes to spend his evenings in front of the television.

  • [ + past participle ] He likes his steak well-done.

  • Like us on Facebook!

  • More than 200 people liked my post.

• 1 used to say politely that you want something:

  • I think I'd like the soup for my starter.

  • I'd like to go to Moscow.

  • I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who's helped to make our wedding such a special occasion!

  • I'd like one of the round loaves, please.

  • [ + to infinitive ] I'd like to book a seat for tonight's performance.

  • [ + obj + to infinitive ] I'd like you to send this for me, please.

  • [ + past participle ] I would like the whole lot finished by the weekend.

• 2 similar to; in the same way or manner as:

  • He looks like his brother.

  • She's very much like her mother (= she is similar in appearance or character).

  • Is Japanese food like Chinese?

  • I've got a sweater just like that.

  • Her hair was so soft it was like silk.

  • You're acting like a complete idiot!

  • She sings like an angel!

  • Like I said (= as I have already said), I don't wear perfume.

  • Like most people (= as most people would), I'd prefer to have enough money not to work.

  • It feels/seems like (= it seems to me) ages since we last spoke.

  • There's nothing like a good cup of coffee (= it's better than anything)!

• 3 in a way that suggests:

  • It looks like I'm going to be in the office until late tonight.

  • It looks like rain (= I think it is going to rain).

  • It sounds to me like you ought to change jobs.

  • You look like you've just got out of bed!

  • not standard She acts like she's stupid!

• 4 typical or characteristic of:

  • That's just like Maisie to turn up half an hour late to her own party!

  • It's not like you to be so quiet - are you all right, my love?

• 5 such as:

  • She looks best in bright, vibrant colours, like red and pink.

• 6 used before you describe how you were feeling or what you said when something happened to you:

  • Then I saw how late it was and I'm like, so upset.

  • He started shouting at me and I'm like, "What's your problem? I'm on your side!"

• 7 used in conversation as a pause or to emphasize an adjective:

  • He's, like, really friendly - someone you can talk to.

  • If there's nothing you can do to change the situation, it's like - why bother?

• 8 a person, thing, or group similar in character or quality to the one mentioned:

  • Boxing hasn't seen the likes of Muhammad Ali since he retired.

  • He was a very great actor - we won't see his like again.

  • He described a superlative meal, the like of which he'd never eaten before.

  • They're competing with the likes of Microsoft.

  • There's a big sports hall for tennis and badminton and such like.

  • The star lists his likes as "my new Porsche, my girlfriend, and staying up all night."

  • They can't expect me to accommodate all their silly little likes and dislikes.

  • First-class travel is for rich people - it's not for the likes of us.

  • My new profile picture got 100 likes.

• 9 similar to, or the same as, something else:

  • It's good to be surrounded by people with like minds.

  • Maybe my employer expects me to respond to his bantering in a like manner.

• 10 The like poles (= ends) of a magnet (= an object that both attracts and pushes away iron and steel objects) are the ends which have the same charge (= negative or positive type of energy) and repel (= push away) each other:

  • Like poles repel, unlike poles attract.

• 11 to be likely to do something

• 12 like the thing mentioned:

  • The paper criticized what it described as the animal-like behaviour of the fans.

  • There was a large, ball-like structure on top of the building.

  • childlike trust

  • a cabbage-like vegetable

• 13 to enjoy or approve of something or someone, or to prefer something a particular way:

  • I like your new haircut.

  • Do you like fish?

  • I like taking my time in the morning.

  • I like my music loud.

  • How do you like my new shoes?

• 14 to want something:

  • [ T ] I’d like the chicken soup, please.

  • [ + to infinitive ] The commissioner would like to say thanks to everyone who’s helped.

  • [ T ] Would you like (= Do you want) something to drink?

• 15 similar to; in the same way or manner as:

  • I’ve got a sweater just like yours.

  • Stop acting like a jerk!

  • She looks just like her father.

  • infmlLike I said (= As I already said), I’m not interested in buying insurance at the moment.

  • What’s your new job like?

  • What does it taste like?

• 16 as if it will or was; in a way that suggests:

  • It looks like rain.

  • It sounds to me like you ought to change jobs.

• 17 someone similar to another person or something similar to another thing:

  • Planners unveiled designs for a multibillion-dollar cultural district whose like has never been seen before.

• 18 willing to; in the mood for:

  • I don’t feel like going out tonight.

• 19 typical or characteristic of; to be expected of:

  • It’s not like you to be so quiet – are you all right?

• 20 such as; for example:

  • I prefer natural fabrics like cotton and wool.

  • Alonzo is not the kind of guy who would do something like this.

• 21 used in conversation to emphasize what follows, or when you cannot express your exact meaning:

  • He’s, like, really friendly – someone you can talk to.

  • It was, like, getting pretty late but I didn’t want to go home yet.

  • So I’m telling Patti about my class and she’s like, No way, and I’m like, It happened.