[OE. licung, f. lícian: see LIKE v.1 and -ING1.]
† 1. The fact of being to one’s taste (cf. LIKE v.1 1), or of being liked. Obs.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xli. 303. Ðætte hie for ðære licunga ðere heringe … ðe hie lufiʓeað eac ʓeðafiʓen ða tælinge.
c. 1175. Paternoster, 247, in Lamb. Hom., 69. On oðer wise ic habbe ifunde hu me mei in sunne bon ibunde. þet forme is to beon underling and þet oðer is liking.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 26. Þings were in desesse to him, þat now are in mikil leking.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 297. The greatest personages, helde Monkes, Friars, and Nonnes, in such veneration and liking, that [etc.].
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 218/1. The man [must] exhort the woman, and the woman the man, to be out of liking with themselues before God.
† 2. Pleasure, enjoyment; an instance of this. At liking: in a suitable position, at one’s ease. Ill liking: discomfort, unhappiness. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 110. Forte wenden us urommard þe licunge þet flesches lustes askeð.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 7. Habbeð mare delit þrin þen anie oðre habbeð ilikinge [= in likinge] of þe worlde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28080. In vayn glory haue i likyng.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 132. William þe Scottis kyng therfor was fulle blithe, Þat Henry had ille likyng.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 956. We lachen likinge y-now of þe lof[t] briddus.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2023. Sche miȝt lede hire lif in liking & murþe.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 226. Fredome mayss man to haiff liking. Ibid., III. 560. Quhen men oucht at liking ar.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxcii. (1495), 730. This tree is not at lykyng in rough places and mountayns.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 831. Thane durste I saffly syng, Was never emporoure ne kyng More at hys lykyng.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 1065. The lordis on the tothir side for liking thay leugh.
c. 1491. Chast. Goddes Chyld., ii. 8. This likynge is more delectable to the body and saule than all the myrthe and likyng that all the worlde myghte gyue.
1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 80 b. And sought … for the delicacie of viandes: well was that man rewarded that could bryng any thyng of likyng or pleasure.
† b. In bad sense, more fully flesh’s or fleshly liking: Sensuality, sexual desire, lust. Obs.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 189. Þi deaþ adeadi in me flehces licunge.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xiii. 1. All þe lust and lykynge of þaire flesch and þis warld.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 73. Vse lytel flesshly likyng.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 92/49. For likinge blindiþ many oon.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 269. A man shall knowe when they fall to lyking and laying by this.
a. 1711. Ken, Edmund, Poet. Wks. 1721, II. 96. To Sensuality his Flesh propends, Propension up to Liking straight ascends.
3. The bent of the will; what one wishes or prefers, (a person’s) pleasure. Also pl. † Of free liking: of free will. Now rare.
c. 1375. XI Pains Hell, 147, in O. E. Misc., 215. Moch froyt þer was here face be-fore, To ete þer-of was here lykyng.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. Prol., 127. Youre lykyng is that I shal telle a tale.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1975. I wol ben hool at your devys For to fulfille your lyking.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 48. With þe helpe of god þay all shall be subgitz to þy likynges.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, x. (1630), F 3 b. I leaue thee to thine own liking.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, III. v. 60. The King had married him Against his liking.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 12 (1810), 23. This I leave to the liking of others.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 290. Of all Men he is the least to follow his own Liking.
1859. Mill, Liberty, i. 15. No one, indeed, acknowledges to himself that his standard of judgment is his own liking.
b. In phrases † at, to, (rarely after, in) one’s liking: according to one’s wish, to one’s taste.
13[?]. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. (E.E.T.S.), 497/133. Þouh he be nouȝt at þi lykynge, Þe prest þat schal þy masse synge, Þerfore lette þou nouht.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxlvi. (1482), 311. He spared no thyng of his lustes ne desyres but accomplysshed them after his lykyng.
1551. Crowley, Pleas. & Pain, 165. You … spent all at your owne lykynge In wantones and banketynge.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 401/2. Finding a place to his liking, he esconsed himself in despite of the Spaniards.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, N. T., 138. Liberty to dispose of thy-selfe to thine owne best liking.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 228, ¶ 7. A Gentleman, who would willingly marry, if he could find a Wife to his Liking.
1796. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, v. 41. Season with pepper and salt to your liking.
1869. J. Eadie, Comm. Galatians, 123. It might not be in all points to their perfect liking … but they could not set themselves against it.
4. The condition of being fond of or not averse to (a person or thing); favorable regard; ‘fancy’ for or inclination to (some object).
1340. Ayenb., 33. Þe uifte boȝ of prede is ydele blisse þet is fole likinge of fole heryinge.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 452. So gret liking & loue i haue þat lud to bi-hold.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 27. Lot … for lyking of drinke, Dude bi his douhtren þat þe deuel louede.
1570. Henry’s Wallace, VIII. 1411. To tak ane lyking [the MS. has lak] and syne get na plesance, Sic lufe as that is nathing to avance.
1587. Harrison, England, II. i. (1877), I. 6. For nothing could be obteined from him, of which the Normans had no liking.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. xii. 13. She … did great liking sheowe, Great liking unto many, but true love to feowe.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., I. iii. 28. Is it possible … you should fall into so strong a liking with old Sir Roulands yongest sonne?
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 523. Afterward they grew out of liking of this vain custom.
1655. Digges, Compl. Ambass., 59. I heare secretly that there is not the best liking between the two Queens.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1823), II. 8. Scarce any man passes to a liking of sin in others, but by first practising it himself.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 271. For the improvement of their Manufactures, and … bringing the Europeans to the greater Liking of them.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 294. The Earl has taken a great Liking to him.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, IV. viii. ¶ 7. Though not dainty in her likings.
1825. Heber, Journ. Upper Prov. India (1828), II. 377. I have no liking for all this train.
1832. Miss Wordsworth, Loving & Liking, in Wordsw. Poet. Wks., I. 251. Likings come, and pass away; ’Tis love that remains till our latest day.
1847–9. Helps, Friends in C. (1851), I. 63. I have a lawyer’s liking for the best evidence.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., xxxii. II. 313. Friendships begin with liking or gratitude.
attrib. 1701. Cibber, Love makes Man, Epil. And know, that while the liking Fit has seiz’d you, She cannot look, he write, too ill to please you.
† b. Approval, consent. (See also GOOD-LIKING 2.) Obs.
1607. Statutes, in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892), 59. With the consent or likinge of the Scholemaster.
c. On or upon liking: on approval or trial. Now rare in educated use.
1615. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 190. This lycence to continue noe longer then untill Michaelmas … but upon lykeinge.
1685. Dryden, Thren. August., iv. The Royal Soul … Came but a while on liking here.
1727. Gay, Beggar’s Op., I. viii. Are you really bound Wife or are you only upon liking?
1811. W. Taylor, in Monthly Mag., XXXIII. 25. He did not stay … the entire month, which he was to pass on liking.
1834. Autobiog. Dissenting Minister, 157. After spending a few months on liking, I was unanimously chosen to fill the vacant pulpit.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., IV. iv. He [the waiter] is a very young man on liking, and we don’t like him.
† 5. An object liked, (one’s) beloved. Obs.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 496. I sall followe the in faith … my lyking thow art.
a. 1550. Christis Kirke Gr., xiv. The wyffis cam furth with cryis and clappis, Lo, quhair my lyking ligs! Quo thay.
1667. Milton, P. L., XI. 587. In the amorous Net Fast caught, they lik’d, and each his liking chose.
† 6. Bodily condition, esp. good or healthy condition. Cf. GOOD-LIKING 4. Obs.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 1279. So gode likeing he fand Þat hole he was and fere.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 46. Yf contreymen in likyng hele endure.
c. 1440. Generydes, 6760. All pale and wanne, owt of likeng he was.
1539. Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1552), 7. This ought not to seeme any marvayle … yf he were in better lykynge than hys horse.
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 131. If God do lend me … free laysure and libertie, with good likyng and a merrie heart.
1584. Cogan, Haven Health, i. (1612), 2. These … labors … do make a good state or liking of the body.
1590. Greene, Never too Late, B b. I have one sheepe in my fold that’s quite out of liking.
1611, 1656. [see GOOD-LIKING 4].
1662. Mascal, Gov. Cattle, 16. Which will cause the beast to become lean and of ill liking.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4145/4. Strayed or stolen…, a bay Mare…, in good Liking.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1749), I. 9. They have been observed to eat plentifully and not become fatter or in better liking.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 676. To keep it [the child] plump in good liking.
