liking

[ lahy-king ]

/ ˈlaɪ kɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR liking ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

preference, inclination, or favor: to show a liking for privacy.

pleasure or taste: much to his liking.

the state or feeling of a person who likes.

Nearby words

liken, likeness, likes of, the, likewise, likin, liking, likker, likud, likuta, lila, lilac

Origin of liking

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

SYNONYMS FOR liking

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR liking ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR liking

1 antipathy.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR liking ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

o·ver·lik·ing, nounself-lik·ing, adjective, nounun·der·lik·ing, noun

Definition for liking (2 of 2)

like

[ lahyk ]

/ laɪk /

verb (used with object), liked, lik·ing.

to take pleasure in; find agreeable or congenial: We all liked the concert.

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.

to wish or prefer: You can do exactly as you like while you are a guest here.

Digital Technology. (sometimes initial capital letter) to indicate one’s enjoyment of, agreement with, or interest in (website content, especially in social media): Share your posts so your friends can like them or leave a comment. Like us on Facebook to get a free sample.

verb (used without object), liked, lik·ing.

to feel inclined; wish: We'll have lunch whenever you like.

Archaic. to suit the tastes or wishes; please.

noun

Usually likes. the things a person likes: a long list of likes and dislikes.

Digital Technology. (sometimes initial capital letter)

an instance of indicating one’s liking of specific website content: I see my comment got lots of likes.
a feature or option, usually a button, that enables this: I installed a Like on my blog so you can subscribe to updates.

adjective

Digital Technology. (sometimes initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a feature used to like specific website content: a Like button; like boxes.

Origin of like

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 Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for liking

Actually for Conte, who has a passionate aversion to labeling, that may be a bit too much categorization for his liking.
Viral Video Pioneers: How Pomplamoose is Turning YouTube Stardom Into a Sustainable Profession|Oliver Jones|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her T-shirts, which hang on the walls, were—I am told—originally hung too low for her liking, and too unevenly.
The Cult of Blondie: Debbie Harry’s Very Special New York Picture Show|Tim Teeman|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two cross paths with a local tour guide/con artist, Rydal (Oscar Isaac), who takes a liking to them—in particular Colette.
Viggo Mortensen Talks ‘The Two Faces of January,’ Blasts Fox News and Israel’s ‘State Terrorism’|Marlow Stern|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On his website it was identified as: Are You Liking The Purple?
The Gods of Punk Are Back in New York City|Anthony Haden-Guest|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Anotha Day Of Wrk Jst Getn Off… Bossman Alrdy Say He Liking Me and My Wrk Skills And Me Asking Him For Overtime.
The Muslim Convert Behind America’s First Workplace Beheading|Michael Daly|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I don't like saints of women and I want to keep on liking you, little Bluebird.
Patchwork|Anna Balmer Myers
It was precisely this mid-way position which his contemporaries found so much to their liking.
The History of Modern Painting, Volume 1 (of 4)|Richard Muther
I know, I know my words are not to your liking, but that can't be helped.
The Storm|Aleksandr Nicolaevich Ostrovsky
He did it slowly and lugubriously, like a man who inspects a road he has no liking for.
The Prairie Child|Arthur Stringer
I had been meeting him every day at the Club and liking him better and better all the time.
The Letters Of Mark Twain, Volume 4, 1886-1900|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

British Dictionary definitions for liking (1 of 3)

liking

/ (ˈlaɪkɪŋ) /

noun

the feeling of a person who likes; fondness

a preference, inclination, or pleasure

British Dictionary definitions for liking (2 of 3)

like

/ (laɪk) /

adjective

(prenominal) similar; resembling

preposition

similar to; similarly to; in the manner ofacting like a maniac; he's so like his father

used correlatively to express similarity in certain proverbslike mother, like daughter

such asthere are lots of ways you might amuse yourself — like taking a long walk, for instance

adverb

a dialect word for likely

not standard as it were: often used as a parenthetic fillerthere was this policeman just staring at us, like

be like … informal used to introduce direct speech or nonverbal communicationI was like, ‘You're kidding!’

conjunction

not standard as though; as ifyou look like you've just seen a ghost

in the same way as; in the same way thatshe doesn't dance like you do

noun

the equal or counterpart of a person or thing, esp one respected or prizedcompare like with like; her like will never be seen again

the like similar thingsdogs, foxes, and the like

the likes of or the like of people or things similar to (someone or something specified)we don't want the likes of you around here

Word Origin for like

shortened from Old English gelīc; compare Old Norse glīkr and līkr like

usage

The use of like to mean such as was formerly thought to be undesirable in formal writing, but has now become acceptable. It was also thought that as rather than like should be used to mean in the same way that, but now both as and like are acceptable: they hunt and catch fish as/like their ancestors used to. The use of look like and seem like before a clause, although very common, is thought by many people to be incorrect or non-standard: it looks as though he won't come (not it looks like he won't come)

British Dictionary definitions for liking (3 of 3)

like

/ (laɪk) /

verb

(tr) to find (something) enjoyable or agreeable or find it enjoyable or agreeable (to do something)he likes boxing; he likes to hear music

(tr) to be fond of

(tr) to prefer or wish (to do something)we would like you to go

(tr) to feel towards; consider; regardhow did she like it?

(intr) to feel disposed or inclined; choose; wish

(tr) archaic to please; agree withit likes me not to go

noun

(usually plural) a favourable feeling, desire, preference, etc (esp in the phrase likes and dislikes)

Word Origin for like

Old English līcian; related to Old Norse līka, Dutch lijken

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with liking

like

In addition to the idioms beginning with like

like a bat out of hell
like a bump on a log
like a cat on hot bricks
like a champ
like a chicken with its head cut off
like a drowned rat
like a fish out of water
like a house afire
like a lamb to the slaughter
like anything
like a shot
like as not
like as two peas in a pod
like a ton of bricks
like clockwork
like crazy
like death warmed over
like father, like son
like fun
like gangbusters
like greased lightning
like hell
like hot cakes, go
like it or lump it
likely as not
like mad
like nobody's business
like nothing on earth
like pigs in clover
like pulling teeth
like rolling off a log
like shooting fish in a barrel
likes of, the
like something the cat dragged in
like that
like to
like water off a duck's back

also see:

and the like
avoid like the plague
come up (smelling like) roses
crazy like a fox
drink like a fish
drop like flies
Dutch uncle, talk to like a
eat like a bird
feel like
(like a) fish out of water
fit like a glove
fly on the wall, would like to be a
get on (like a house afire)
go out (like a light)
go over (like a lead balloon)
grin like a Cheshire cat
(drop like a) hot potato
just like that
know like a book
live like a king
look like a million dollars
look like death
look like something the cat dragged in
look like the cat that ate the canary
make out like a bandit
manna from heaven, like
mind like a steel trap
need like a hole in the head
no fool like an old fool
not anything like
no time like the present
out like a light
packed in like sardines
sleep like a log
something like
spread like wildfire
stick out (like a sore thumb)
swear like a trooper
take to (like a duck to water)
tell it like it is
treat like dirt
turn up like a bad penny
wail like a banshee
watch like a hawk
work like a beaver
work like a charm