like
[1]
adj
1 prenominal similar; resembling
prep
2 similar to; similarly to; in the manner of
acting like a maniac, he's so like his father
3 used correlatively to express similarity in certain proverbs
like mother, like daughter
4 such as
there are lots of ways you might amuse yourself <emdash> like taking a long walk, for instance
adv
5 a dialect word for →
likely
6 Not standard as it were: often used as a parenthetic filler
there was this policeman just staring at us, like
conj
7 Not standard as though; as if
you look like you've just seen a ghost
8 in the same way as; in the same way that
she doesn't dance like you do
n
9 the equal or counterpart of a person or thing, esp. one respected or prized
compare like with like, her like will never be seen again
10 ♦
the like similar things
dogs, foxes, and the like
11 ♦
the likes (or like) of people or things similar to (someone or something specified)
we don't want the likes of you around here
(shortened from Old English gelic; compare Old Norse glikr and likr like)
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)
English Collins Dictionary - English Definition & Thesaurus
like [2]
vb
1 tr to find (something) enjoyable or agreeable or find it enjoyable or agreeable (to do something)
he likes boxing, he likes to hear music
3 tr to prefer or wish (to do something)
we would like you to go
4 tr to feel towards; consider; regard
how did she like it?
5 intr to feel disposed or inclined; choose; wish
6 tr
Archaic to please; agree with
it likes me not to go
n
7 usually pl a favourable feeling, desire, preference, etc. (esp. in the phrase likes and dislikes)
(Old English lician; related to Old Norse lika, Dutch lijken)
English Collins Dictionary - English Definition & Thesaurus
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"Collins English Dictionary 5th Edition first published in 2000 © HarperCollins Publishers 1979, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000 and Collins A-Z Thesaurus 1st edition first published in 1995 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995"