liken
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlaɪk(ə)n/
enpr: lī'kən
ipa: /ˈlaɪkən/
homophone: lichen
homophone: lycan
rhymes: -aɪkən
Forms: form: likens
form: likening
form: likened
form: likened
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: liken
form: liken
form: likened
form: liken
form: likenest
form: likened
form: likenedst
form: likens
form: likeneth
form: likened
form: liken
form: likened
form: liken
form: likened
form: liken
form: -
form: likening
form: likened
Etymology: From Middle English liknen (“to be comparable; to compare (often disparagingly); to make (someone) equal to another person; to regard (something) as equal to another thing; to regard (something) as likely; to resemble; to take (something) as a substitute; to apply, be adapted or suitable; to tend (to sin)”) [and other forms], from liken (“to be comparable; to compare; to be appropriate; to form”), from lik (“alike, analogous, similar; appropriate, suitable; equal; homogeneous; identical, the same; indicative; likely (to be or do something), probable; possible; simultaneous; more or most like (?)”) + -en (suffix forming infinitives of verbs). Lik is derived from Old English ġelīċ (“like, similar”), from Proto-Germanic *galīkaz (“like, similar; equal”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“like, similar; even, level”). The English word is analysable as like (adjective) + -en (suffix forming verbs with the sense ‘to make [adjective]’).
Senses: examples: text: The physics teacher likened the effect of mass on space to an indentation in a sheet of rubber.
text: And vvell may the preacher and plovvman be likened together: Firſt, for their labour in all ſeaſons of the year; for there is no time of the year in vvhich the ploughman hath not ſome ſpecial vvork to do. […] And then they alſo may be likened together for the diverſity of vvorks, and variety of offices that they have to do.
ref: 1548 January 28 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon IV. By the Reverend Father in Christ Master Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester. Preached in the Shrouds at Paul’s Church in London the 18th Day of January, in the Year 1548.”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, →OCLC, pages 41–42:
text: In this ſaing S. Auguſtin likeneth the ſacramentes of the olde lavve in reſpect of the ſacramentes of the nevve lavve vnto childrens games, and our ſacramentes he likeneth to the thinges of more profett, vvhich are to be geuen to the ſonnes of God, vvhen they vvaxe of more age, knovvledge, and ripeneſſe.
ref: 1566, Thomas Heskyns, “Proving All Our Sacramentes Generallie to be More Excellent then the Sacramentes of Moyses”, in The Parliament of Chryste Auouching and Declaring the Enacted and Receaued Trueth of the Presence of His Bodie and Bloode in the Blessed Sacrament, […], Antwerp: […] William Silvius […], →OCLC, folio cclxxii, verso:
text: Me thinkes therefore, that of all of the Græcian Captaines I can liken none ſo vvell vnto him, as Eumenes the Cardian.
ref: 1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “The Life of Sertorius”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 626:
text: [T]he Prince broke thy head for lik'ning him to a ſinging man of VVindſor; […]
ref: c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 79, column 2:
text: He merited not the Abaſement; vve vvere vvorthy the Damnation. Ah, ah my good Sauiour! A Nethermoſt depth cannot ſincke me lovv enough, ſince thou ſtoop'ſt to a Footſtoole. Thou likenedſt thee to me, I vvill compare me to Nothing: […]
ref: [1629], Iohn Gaule [i.e., John Gaule], Practique Theories: Or, Votiue Speculations, vpon Iesus Christs Prediction. Incarnation. Passion. Resurrection. […], London: […] [Thomas Cotes] for Iames Bowler, →OCLC, page 141:
text: [T]he Rebel King / Doubl'd that ſin in Bethel and in Dan, / Lik'ning his Maker to the Grazed Ox, […]
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 484–486:
text: You vvill then be every one's favourite: and every good ſervant, for the future, vvill be proud to be liken'd to honeſt Joſeph Leman.
ref: 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter II. Mr. Lovelace, to Joseph Leman.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC, page 26:
text: That our VVork, therefore, might be in no Danger of being likened to the Labours of theſe Hiſtorians, vve have taken every Occaſion of interſperſing through the vvhole ſundry Similes, Deſcriptions, and other kind of poetical Embelliſhments.
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, “Containing Five Pages of Paper”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book IV, pages 2–3:
text: Why dost thou turn so pale? Not Conscience' self, / Far less a shadow which thou likenest to it, / Should shake the firm spirit thus.
ref: 1835 (date written; published 1835 December – 1836 January), Edgar Allan Poe, “Scenes from ‘Politian;’ an Unpublished Drama”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, →OCLC, Act IV, page 69:
text: In the name of all the devils, Roderique, of what art thou thinking, that thou likenest this knave to a young noble?
ref: 1840, [James Fenimore Cooper], chapter I, in Mercedes of Castile: Or, The Voyage to Cathay. […], volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC, page 20:
text: And the tufted isles which thou likenedst to the isles that rise from the face of some still gleaming lake—these are the peaks of the northern hills and the tops of the mountain ranges of the north, standing above the suspended steam of their host.
ref: 1880, Standish [James] O’Grady, “Descent of the Red Branch”, in History of Ireland: Cuculain and His Contemporaries, volume II, London: Sampson Low, Searle, Marston, & Rivington, […]; Dublin: E. Ponsonby, […], →OCLC, page 192:
text: Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."
ref: 2013 June 18, Chico Harlan, “After Fukushima, Japan beginning to see the light in solar energy”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, volume 189, number 2, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 Oct 2022, page 30:
antonyms: contrast
unliken
glosses: Followed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.
examples: text: Speech is reason's brother, and a kingly prerogative of man, / That likeneth him to his Maker, who spake, and it was done.
ref: 1838, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Of Speaking”, in Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, London: Joseph Rickerby, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 133:
antonyms: unliken
glosses: Chiefly followed by to: to make (oneself, someone, or something) resemble another person or thing.
glosses: To represent or symbolize (something).
glosses: Followed by to: to be like or resemble; also, to become like.
Derived terms: word: disliken
word: likenable
word: likener
word: likening
word: unliken
word: unlikenable
word: unlikening