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definitions

liking

[lahy-king]
||
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.

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RELATED WORDS

affinity, love, bent, mind, fancy, sympathy, bias, appetite, tendency, penchant, attraction, propensity, passion, attachment, inclination, stomach, favoritism, weakness, partiality, appreciation

Nearby words

  1. ligurian republic,
  2. ligurian sea,
  3. ligustrum,
  4. likable,
  5. likasi,
  6. like a bat out of hell,
  7. like a bump on a log,
  8. like a cat on hot bricks,
  9. like a champ,
  10. like a chicken with its head cut off

Origin of liking

before 900; Middle English; Old English līcung. See like2, -ing1
ANTONYMS FOR liking
1. antipathy.
SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR liking ON THESAURUS.COM
Related formso·ver·lik·ing, nounself-lik·ing, adjective, nounun·der·lik·ing, noun

like

2
[lahyk]

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)
  1. an instance of indicating one’s liking of specific website content: I see my comment got lots of likes.
  2. 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

2
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

British Dictionary definitions for liking

liking

noun

the feeling of a person who likes; fondness
a preference, inclination, or pleasure

like

1

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)

like

2

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
Word Origin and History for liking
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.