Obs. Also 4–7 Sc. likand. [f. LIKE v.1 + -ING2.]
1. Pleasing, pleasant, agreeable, attractive. Of food: Dainty. Of the weather, wind, an opinion: Favorable. Const. till, to.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 949. Summe þat longen to a lud of likinge smellus.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 9. And suth thyngis that ar likand Tyll mannys heryng ar plesand.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 237. Anon likynge wynd filled the sailles.
1401. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 31. In … delicious and liking feeding … freers passen lords.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VI. 95. Him thow our threw out off his likand rest.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. xii. 15. O sweit habit, and likand bed, quod sche.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 72 b. The wynd to hym was likyng, wherby he sayled into Flaunders.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 244. He appointed hym and his fellowes to come and declare hys lykyng opinion touchyng the same.
1596. J. Norden, Progr. Pietie (1847), 62. Grant that … I may watchfully avoid what thou loathest, howsoever liking it be unto me.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, XIX. iii. (1620), 709. Making a liking vse of all.
[a. 1643. W. Cartwright, Ordinary, III. i. Thou art mine pleasure, by dame Venus brent; So fresh thou art, and therewith so lycand.]
2. ‘In condition’; healthy, plump; in a specified condition (e.g., well, ill liking). Of a soil: Rich.
c. 1325. Song of Yesterday, 75, in E. E. P. (1862), 135. An hounde þat is likyng and Ioly.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 1564. Abouten it is gras springing, For moiste so thikke and wel lyking, That it ne may in winter dye.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 7. It semeþ þe devyl gedreþ siche lumpis of ȝonge men, fatte, and lykynge and ydyl.
1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 8963. Thow wer to fat, and to lykynge.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 40. Euill lykand was the King.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 48. It taketh mooste commonly the fattest and best lykynge.
1535. Coverdale, Dan. i. 10. I am afrayed off my lorde the kynge,… lest he spye youre faces to be worse lykynge then the other spryngaldes of youre age.
1611. Bible, Dan. i. 10. For why should he see your faces worse liking then the children which are of your sort?
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 7. The Countrey of Normandie is enriched with a fat and liking soil.
