Also 5–6 lyke. [f. LIKE a.]
† 1. trans. a. To fashion in a certain likeness. b. To represent as like to; to compare to. c. To make a likeness of; to imitate. Obs.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 1460. In haly speche he lyked [Bæda assimilavit] his lunde.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. vi. 48. Like me to the pesant Boyes of France.
1613. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. v. 489. Her lily hand (not to be lik’d by Art) A pair of pincers held.
1622. Wither, Mistr. Philar., F 7 b. If to gold I like her Haire.
2. intr. (Const. inf.) † a. To seem, pretend. Obs. b. To look like or be near to doing (something) or to being treated (in a specified manner). Now vulgar and dial., chiefly in compound tenses, had (rarely were) liked to, or (dial.) am (is, etc.) liken (for liking) to, etc. (Cf. had like s.v. LIKE a.)
1426. Paston Lett., I. 24. The gret tendrenesse ye lyke to have of the salvacion of my symple honeste.
1598. Parsons, Archpriest Controv. (Camden), I. 32. The other disorders that I have signified … were liked to have receved a severe sentence & punishment.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, V. i. 115. Wee had likt to haue had our two noses snapt off with two old men without teeth.
a. 1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. (1878), 91. Her old leake … had liked to have drowned all those which were in her.
1654–66. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 18. Joy had lik’d to have performed what grief but begun.
a. 1689. Mrs. Behn, Novels (1722), I. 282. The Rabble had lik’d to have pulled him to pieces.
1716. Abp. Nicholson, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 396. The judges, whom he had liked to have provoked by his clownish behaviour at the bar.
1724. Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. (1733), II. 119. My heart alake, is liken to break When I think on my winsome John.
1760. H. Walpole, Lett. to G. Montagu, 25 Oct. He probably got his death, as he liked to have done two years ago, by [etc.].
1781. Bentham, Wks. (1843), X. 92. He … was once what I had liked to have been, a methodist. Ibid. (1802), 390. I would not serve you as X. Y. Bellamy had liked to have served us.
1853. J. A. Benton, California Pilgr., 127. The evening liked to have been a tedious evening.
