Middle English Dictionary Entry
līke adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | līke adv. Also līk, līch(e, lige, lick, liek, leke, lech. |
| Etymology | OE gelīce |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iliche adv., inliche.
1a.
(a) Similarly, in the same way; ~ to (after, also), similarly to, like; the same..~ also, the same..as; (b) correspondingly, accordingly; ~ to (after), in accordance with; (c) ~ also, having the status of.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.951-2 : Man..lich to a beste he hath fielinge, And lich to Trees he hath growinge.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1950 : As it semeth that a belle Lik to the wordes that men telle Answerth.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.44 : Ek scarsly ben ther in this place thre That have in love seid lik, and don, in al.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)69b/b : Þe matrice is compounde of two tunikels made in þe same manere liche as þe stomake.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.PPriests Benef.(Corp-C 296)253 : Þan schulden prestis lyue lich to an angel.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)389 : I haue spente my life..Liche as a fole dissolute and nyce.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)25.337 : Lik As Snow, they weren so whit.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)292 : They wente lyke as a doo.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1613 : Rome..was set..Tild vpon Tiber after Troy like.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6566 : They dedely haten highe crestys And to be hornyd lych as bestys.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6602 : Þai fand him..liggand like to a man slepand.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.187 : A man is..floenge like to [Trev.: as; L ut] the water, ȝiffenge place like to the aier, brennenge as fire, chaungenge like to the moone.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.229 : The Scottes and Pictes commynge owte of caves..like to [Trev.: as; L tanquam] vermyn in a feyr hoote day.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)28/19 : Yow leuyth the seignurie..exposid to all fortunes, liche as the ship that is cast to and fro by tempest.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)2161 : Ther wepons..lyke as mattokez Shapyn so were they.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)295/72 : The fader voyce..Was made to me lyke as a man.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.391 : xiij..arrayed lyke as Dukes, Markises, Erles, Vicouns, and Barons.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6017 : With gret honour..He was reseyuyd, like to his estat.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)21 : Whan Canterbury talys Complet and told..Euerich man lik to his degre.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)5784 : Youthe..and..beaute Arrayed lyche to hir degre.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)20067 : Ther be..Many constellacions..And lyk affter ther dyfferences, They yive in erthe influences.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)23910 : In this while..lich to hir comandement I wente..vnto the celere[re].
- a1500 Weights in RHS ser.3.41 (Vsp E.9)15 : And thus the count by yards and elles lyke aftre the rekenyng of poundes.
c
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5133 : Þai com ham noght als prisuns like Bot als þai war knigthes rik.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1126 : He shal..Regne in Thebes, lik as lord and hair.
1b.
Forming a compound conj. ~ as: just: (a) in a clause of manner: in the way that; also, correlated; ~ as..so (likewise); (b) in a clause of manner: according as; (c) in a hypothetical clause of manner: as if, as though; also, correlated: ~ as..so; (d) in a clause of comparison: so..~ as, so..as; (e) in a clause giving a reason: ~ as..so, since..then; (f) in a clause containing an adjuration: as.
Associated quotations
a
- (1417-18) EEWills38/24 : Yt ys my wyll þat Wyllyam Aluowe haue it..and ȝyfe þer-for lyke as a noþer man wyll.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1262 : He..had..a wel beseyn meyne, Lyche as was sytting vn-to his degre.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)139/2 : Liik as my fadir haþ ȝoue it to me, so schal I schewe me to ȝou.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)314/33 : Þei ben leid in moore grettir peynes..liek as goode folk ben sett in gretter excellence of blis.
- (1432) Proc.Chanc.in Cal.PCEliz.1.p.xxviii : I annull..hem..specially yif it be saide..that I sholde say..that the feoffament..were made..naught by the assent of the saide Sire John de Veer..like as I am noysed and borne in honde that I sholde say.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)10/30 : Lech as hys felaw dede, so dede he.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)870 : Now haf I acomplysyd..lych as I you promysyd..the passyoun Of seynt Margrete.
- a1450-a1500(1436) Libel EP (Warner)588 : Liche as the seale..hathe..A prince rydynge..Betokenynge goode reule..So one lychewysse I wolde were on the see.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2165 : He dude not lyge as don mony other wymmen.
- (c1450) Capgr.St.Aug.(Add 36704)2/12 : Lich as þe sunne schynyth in heuene, so schynyth he in þe temple of our Lord.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)368 : Þai cowde not schake away þis bonde by a contrari glose, lijke as oure prestis kan nowe.
- a1456(?1417) Lydg.DTChaucer (Add 16165)69 : Come hoome ageyne lyche as we desyre.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)270/9 : Lyke as Terquyn wacched to dystresse good knyghtes, so dud this knyght attende to destroy and dystresse ladyes.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)14/21 : A litle sleepe toke me liche as full ofte is likly.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)44/16 : Like as by synne he is reysid vp ayeinst the..lordship of Almyghty God, likewyse by punycion is he cast downe.
- a1500 Chaucer PF (StJ-O 57)641 : I am evir vndir yeur ȝerd, like as is eny othir creature.
- c1450 LChart.Chr.B (Clg A.2)400 : Lyke as y forȝeue, forȝyf þou me.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.838 : Ȝif on haue Ioye, anoþer suffereþwo, Liche as þe bonys renne to and fro.
- (1428) Doc.in Sur.Soc.852 : He come to John Bower and told hym lyke als he fand.
- (1440) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.24 : This sayd particion to be made..lyke als ye lawe will.
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)209/6247 : If y offende, hit must your selven be To punysshe liche as ye þe offensis se.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)140/29 : Marchandis..expaundyth the rennons of kynges..lyke as thay fyndyth.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)161 : I wil nat spar Like as I fele my verdite to declar.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)41 : Merlin..wente to Blase and tolde hym alle thynges like as were beffalle.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)85/19 : A cusschin..I-stoppid wiþ hey or strawe..like as þe abbesse schal ordeyne.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)145 : Loke..Thy sentence to yeue..Lyke as thow hast herde the causys.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.3456 : And evere..Lich as thei weren fisshes skales, Ther fellen from him.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.576 : He hadde ay priked lik as he were wood.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5661 : Þei han y-set..Þe dede cors..stondynge..like in al..As he lyuede.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1425 : & leke as god was on þe cresse, Þey syen as þaw his wondys dud blede.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)193/6 : He saw in his spiritt almyghti God..shakand iij speris like as He wold hafe destroyed all þis werld.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)196/20 : An hydeouse flame..flowe oute of his mowth, lyke as the londe..had flawmed all on fyre.
- a1475 Rev.St.Bridget (Gar 145)12/17 : Lyke as ther wer..one þat hadde..a heuy byrthn..and his eyne full of teres..ryght so was I.
- c1475 *Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)78/10 : They will be keped and defended..like as they wolde haue the goodis for thaire parte withoute suffring of disease.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)127/28 : This epystle, in the whych thow mayste thy Selfe consaille, lyke as y wer wyth the.
- a1500 *Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)6/2 : She helde a passing sharpe whippe like as she had thought to haue do vengeaunce or hurte to some persone.
d
- (1414) RParl.4.57a : I myghte not have been remedied..so sone..lyk as we oughten to have ben.
e
- c1475(c1447) Epitaph Duke Glo.(Hrl 2251)89 : Like as he endured with these graces thre..So blessid lady..Knele before thy sone and to hym prey.
f
- (1439) Doc.in Collect.Topogr.515 : The remenaunt truli to dispose for my soule and for my frendes..lyk as thei wil answere at ye heye iugement.
2.
(a) Equally, alike, to the same extent; also, equidistantly [quot.: c1475]; (b) exactly, precisely; (c) continually, always; (d) as well, also.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)104/11 : A tetane, þat is, a sijknes þat halt þe membre lich streit on boþe sidis as a crampe halt þe oon side of þe membre.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)7.183 : As luf in lente as oute of lente, alle tymes liche.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)112 : Þei ben made to..enchace alle games liche lief.
- a1425 Al es bot (Glb E.9)52 : Of God & of heuyn blis ertow ful quitt, Gerrard hem self sal gif þe a smitt; Als blak as him self makes he þe lik.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)236/27 : Counceile hem to do penaunce..not to ech liche, but as þei ben able for to bere.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)106 : Everi lud liche wel lyvede upon erþe.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)178 : Tak a potel of lyf-hony..& do hyt to þy lycour, so þat þou haue of boþe lyche meche.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)33/14 : Kyng Lott..and kynge Morganoure..helde the batayle all the day lyke harde.
- a1475 I beleue on god (Rwl B.408)98 : The fader and sone and holigost..And lyke myghty is euery persone.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)125a/b : Strawe on clene whete bran..til it be wel..medlid togidere plastre lijk bitwene hard & neische.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)6144 : I wone nowhere but in hem tweye But not lyk even, soth to seye.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)322 : Of alle other thinges thei resembled so like that vn-ethe myght oon knowe that oon from that other.
c
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)964 : Þeȝ stoden in erthe..and woxen noþer more ne les, Bote al wey stoden liche grene.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)29.81 : This Braunch..Evere lich Grene it was.
d
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)1.48 : He askide of hem of whom spak þe lettre And þe ymagis lik þat þereinne standis.