different between like vs when

English

Alternative forms

• lak

Pronunciation

• enPR: l?k, IPA^(key): /la?k/
• Rhymes: -a?k

Etymology 1

Verb from Middle English liken, from Old English l?cian (“to please; be sufficient”), from Proto-West Germanic *l?k?n, from Proto-Germanic *l?k?n? (“to please”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyg- (“image; likeness; similarity”).

Cognate with Saterland Frisian liekje (“to be similar, resemble”), Dutch lijken (“to seem”), German Low German lieken (“to be like; resemble”), German gleichen (“to resemble”), Swedish lika (“to like; put up with; align with”), Norwegian like (“to like”), Icelandic líka (“to like”).

Noun from Middle English like (“pleasure, will, like”), from the verb Middle English liken (“to like”).

Verb

like (third-person singular simple present likes, present participle liking, simple past and past participle liked)

1. To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of.

   Antonyms: dislike, hate, mislike

   • He may either go or stay, as he best likes.
2. (transitive, archaic) To please.
3. (obsolete) To derive pleasure of, by or with someone or something.
4. To prefer and maintain (an action) as a regular habit or activity.

5. (obsolete) To have an appearance or expression; to look; to seem to be (in a specified condition).
6. (archaic) To come near; to avoid with difficulty; to escape narrowly.
7. To find attractive; to prefer the company of; to have mild romantic feelings for.

   Synonyms: (British) fancy, enjoy, love

   Antonyms: dislike, hate, mislike
8. (obsolete) To liken; to compare.
9. (Internet, transitive) To show support for, or approval of, something posted on the Internet by marking it with a vote.

   Antonyms: unlike, dislike

10. (with 'would' and in certain other phrases) To want, desire. See also would like.

Usage notes

• In its senses of “enjoy” and “maintain as a regular habit”, like is a catenative verb; in the former, it usually takes a gerund (-ing form), while in the latter, it takes a to-infinitive. See also Appendix:English catenative verbs.
• Like is only used to mean “want” in certain expressions, such as “if you like” and “I would like”. The conditional form, would like, is used quite freely as a polite synonym for want.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

• like like
• would like

Translations

Noun

like (plural likes)

1. (usually in the plural) Something that a person likes (prefers).

   Synonyms: favorite, preference

   Antonyms: dislike, pet hate, pet peeve

2. (Internet) An individual vote showing support for, or approval of, something posted on the Internet.

Translations

References

• like on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

Adjective from Middle English like, lyke, from Old English ?el?? by shortening, influenced by Old Norse líkr, glíkr; both from Proto-Germanic *gal?kaz (“like, similar, same”). Related to alike; more distantly, with lich and -ly. Cognate with West Frisian like (“like; as”), Saterland Frisian gliek (“like”), Danish lig (“alike”), Dutch gelijk (“like, alike”), German gleich (“equal, like”), Icelandic líkur (“alike, like, similar”), Norwegian lik (“like, alike”) Swedish lik (“like, similar”)

Adverb from Middle English like, lyke, liche, lyche, from Old English ?el??e (“likewise, also, as, in like manner, similarly”) and Old Norse líka (“also, likewise”); both from Proto-Germanic *gal?kê, from Proto-Germanic *gal?kaz (“same, like, similar”).

Conjunction from Middle English like, lyke, lik, lyk, from the adverb Middle English like.

Preposition from Middle English like, lyke, liche, lyche, lijc, liih (“similar to, like, equal to, comparable with”), from Middle English like (adjective) and like (adverb).

Adjective

like (comparative more like, superlative most like)

1. Similar.
   • 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 2, ch. 3, Landlord Edmund

     […] and this is not a sky, it is a Soul and living Face! Nothing liker the Temple of the Highest, bright with some real effulgence of the Highest, is seen in this world.
2. (obsolete) Likely; probable.
   • 1668, Robert South, The Messiah's Sufferings for the Sins of the People (sermon, March 20, 1668)

     But it is like the jolly world about us will scoff at the paradox of these practices.

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

• as like as not

Translations

Adverb

like (comparative more like, superlative most like)

1. (obsolete, colloquial) Likely.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act 2 Scene 3

     DON PEDRO. May be she doth but counterfeit.

     CLAUDIO. Faith, like enough. [= Indeed, quite likely.]

2. (archaic or rare) In a like or similar manner.

   • Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

Noun

like (countable and uncountable, plural likes)

2. (sometimes as the likes of) Someone similar to a given person, or something similar to a given object; a comparative; a type; a sort.
   • 1935, Winston Churchill on T.E. Lawrence

     We shall never see his like again.

3. (golf) The stroke that equalizes the number of strokes played by the opposing player or side.

Synonyms

• ilk

Antonyms

• antithesis, opposite

Derived terms

• like-for-like

Translations

Conjunction

like

1. (colloquial) As, the way.
   • 1966, Advertising slogan for Winston cigarettes

     Winston tastes good like a cigarette should

   • 1978, "Do Unto Others" by Bob Dylan

     But if you do right to me, baby

     I’ll do right to you, too

     Ya got to do unto others

     Like you’d have them, like you’d have them, do unto you

2. As if; as though.

Usage notes

• The American Heritage Dictionary opines that using like as a conjunction, instead of as, the way, as if, or as though, is informal; it has, however, been routine since the Middle English period. AHD4 says "Writers since Chaucer's time have used like as a conjunction, but 19th-century and 20th-century critics have been so vehement in their condemnations of this usage that a writer who uses the construction in formal style risks being accused of illiteracy or worse", and recommends using as in formal speech and writing. OED does not tag it as colloquial or nonstandard, but notes, "Used as conj[unction]: = 'like as', as. Now generally condemned as vulgar or slovenly, though examples may be found in many recent writers of standing."

Derived terms

• feel like, look like, seem like, sound like

Preposition

like

1. Similar to, reminiscent of.
2. Typical of

   It would be just like Achilles to be sulking in his tent.

3. Approximating

   Popcorn costs something like $10 dollars at the movies.

4. In the manner of, similarly to.

   He doesn't act like a president.

5. Such as

   It's for websites like Wikipedia.

6. As if there would be.

   It looks like a hot summer in Europe.

Synonyms

• (such as): for example, such as, (archaic) as

Antonyms

• unlike

Derived terms

• like a bull at a gate

Translations

Particle

like

1. (colloquial, Scotland, Ireland, Tyneside, Teesside, Liverpudlian) A delayed filler.

2. (colloquial) A mild intensifier.
   • 1972, Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts, December 1:

     [Sally Brown:] Christmas is getting all you can get while the getting is good.
     [Charlie Brown:] GIVING! The only real joy is GIVING!
     [Sally Brown, rolling her eyes:] Like, wow!

3. (colloquial) indicating approximation or uncertainty

4. (colloquial, slang) When preceded by any form of the verb to be, used to mean “to say” or “to think”; used to precede an approximate quotation or paraphrase.
   • 2006, Lily Allen, Knock 'Em Out

     You're just doing your own thing and some one comes out the blue,

     They're like, "Alright"

     What ya saying, "Yeah can I take your digits?"

     And you're like, "no not in a million years, you're nasty please leave me alone."

Synonyms

• (delayed filler): I mean, you know
• (mild intensifier): I mean, well, you know
• (indicating approximation or uncertainty): I mean, well, you know
• (colloquial: used to precede paraphrased quotations): be all, go

Usage notes

The use as a quotative is informal. It is commonly used by young people, and commonly disliked by older generations, especially in repeated use. It may be combined with the use of the present tense as a narrative. Similar terms are to go and all, as in I go, “Why did you do that?” and he goes, “I don't know” and I was all, “Why did you do that?” and he was all, “I don't know.” These expressions can imply that the attributed remark which follows is representative rather than necessarily an exact quotation; however, in speech these structures do tend to require mimicking the original speaker's inflection in a way said would not.

Excessive use of "like" as a meaningless filler is widely criticised.

Translations

Interjection

like

1. (Liverpudlian, Tyneside) Used to place emphasis upon a statement.

Etymology 3

From like (adverb) and like (adjective).

Verb

like (third-person singular simple present likes, present participle liking, simple past and past participle liked)

1. (chiefly dialectal, intransitive) To be likely.

References

• A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, ?ISBN
• like at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Kiel, Kile, kile, liek

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from English like.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [l?j??]

Noun

like n (singular definite liket, plural indefinite likes)

1. (Internet) like

Verb

like (imperative like, infinitive at like, present tense liker, past tense likede, perfect tense har liket)

1. (Internet) like

French

Pronunciation

• Homophones: likent, likes

Verb

like

1. first-person singular present indicative of liker
2. third-person singular present indicative of liker
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of liker
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of liker
5. second-person singular imperative of liker

German

Verb

like

1. inflection of liken:
   1. first-person singular present
   2. first/third-person singular subjunctive I
   3. singular imperative

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *lite. Compare Maori rite.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?li.ke/, [?like]

Verb

like

1. (stative) like, alike, similar

Derived terms

• ho?olike: to make things equal, to make things similar (less common)
• ho?oh?like: to make things equal, to make things similar (more common)

References

• “like” in the Hawaiian Dictionary, Revised and Enlarged Edition, University of Hawaii Press, 1986

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse líka

Verb

like (imperative lik, present tense liker, simple past likte, past participle likt)

1. to like

Etymology 2

Adjective

like

1. definite singular of lik
2. plural of lik

Etymology 3

Adverb

like

1. as, equally

Derived terms

• likefullt, like fullt
• likeledes
• likeså

References

• “like” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²li?k?/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse líka

Alternative forms

• lika

Verb

like (imperative lik or like, present tense likar or liker, simple past lika or likte, past participle lika or likt)

1. to like

Etymology 2

Adjective

like

1. definite singular of lik
2. plural of lik

Etymology 3

From Old Norse líka

Adverb

like

1. as, equally

2. just, immediately

References

• “like” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Scots

Etymology

From Old English l?cian (“to be pleasing”)

Verb

like (third-person singular present likes, present participle likin, past likit, past participle likit)

1. To like.
2. To be hesitant to do something.

3. To love somebody or something.

Adverb

like (not comparable)

1. like

Interjection

like

1. (South Scots) Used to place emphasis upon a statement.

Spanish

Etymology

From English like.

Noun

like m (plural likes)

1. (Internet slang) like

Swedish

Adjective

like

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of lik.

Noun

like c

1. match (someone similarly skillful)

Declension

English

Alternative forms

• wen (eye dialect)

Etymology

From Middle English when(ne), whanne, from Old English hwenne, hwænne, hwonne (“when”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwan, from Proto-Germanic *hwan (“at what time, when”), from Proto-Indo-European *k?is (“interrogative base”).

Cognate with Dutch wanneer (“when”) and wen (“when, if”), Low German wannehr (“when”), wann (“when”) and wenn (“if, when”), German wann (“when”) and wenn (“when, if”), Gothic ???????????? (?an, “when, how”), Latin quand? (“when”). More at who.

Interjection sense: a playful misunderstanding of "say when" (i.e. say something / speak up when you want me to stop) as "say [the word] when".

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: hw?n, w?n, IPA^(key): /??n/, /w?n/
  • (pin–pen merger) IPA^(key): /??n/, /w?n/
• (Ireland, Scotland) enPR: hw?n, IPA^(key): /??n/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: w?n, IPA^(key): /w?n/
• (in accents without the wine–whine merger)
• (in accents with the wine–whine merger)
• (in accents with the wine–whine merger)
• Rhymes: -?n
• Homophone: wen (in accents with the wine-whine merger), win (in accents with the wine–whine merger and the pin–pen merger)

Adverb

when (not comparable)

1. (interrogative) At what time? At which time? Upon which occasion or circumstance? Used to introduce direct or indirect questions about time.
   • 1834, Samuel Kirkham, English Grammar in Familiar Lectures, page 117:

     What words are used as interrogative pronouns? — Give examples.

     When are the words, what, which, and that, called adj. pron.?

     When are they called interrogative pronominal adjectives?

2. At an earlier time and under different, usually less favorable, circumstances.

3. (relative) At which, on which, during which: often omitted or replaced with that.

Translations

Conjunction

when

1. At (or as soon as) that time that; at the (or any and every) time that; if.
2. During the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.
3. At what time; at which time.
   • 1839, John Donne, The Works of John Donne: Sermons, Letters, Poems, page 310:

     I am at London only to provide for Monday, when I shall use that favour which my Lady Bedford hath afforded me, of giving her name to my daughter; which I mention to you, […]

   • 1929, Donald John Munro, The Roaring Forties and After (page 38)

     He sat at the door of his kitchen watching, and seeing there was nothing else for it we buckled to and soon had the job done; when we were admitted to the kitchen and given a really good meal.

4. Since; given the fact that; considering that.

5. Whereas; although; at the same time as; in spite of the fact that.

Synonyms

• (as soon as): as soon as, immediately, once
• (every time that): whenever
• (during the time that): while, whilst; see also Thesaurus:while
• (at any time that): whenever
• (at which time):
• (given the fact that): given that, seeing that; see also Thesaurus:because
• (in spite of the fact that): but, where, whereas

Derived terms

• know someone when
• whenwe

Translations

Pronoun

when

1. (interrogative) What time; which time.
   • 1831 (published), John Davies, Orchestra Or, a Poem of Dancing, in Robert Southey, Select Works of the British Poets: From Chaucer to Jonson, with Biographical Sketches, page 706:

     Homer, to whom the Muses did carouse

     A great deep cup with heav'nly nectar fill'd,

     The greatest, deepest cup in Jove's great house,

     (For Jove himself had so expressly will'd)

     He drank off all, nor let one drop be spill'd;

     Since when, his brain that had before been dry,

     Became the well-spring of all poetry.

   • 1833, William Potts Dewees, A Treatise on the Diseases of Females, page 495:

     [This] we imagined might have been owing to some accidental condition of the system, or perhaps idiosyncracy; this led us to a second trial, but we experienced the same inconveniences, since when, we have altogether abandoned their use.

   • 2012, Emile Letournel, Robert Judet, Fractures of the Acetabulum, Springer Science & Business Media (?ISBN), page 385:

     So we combined the Kocher-Langenbeck and iliofemoral approach until 1965, since when we have combined the ilioinguinal and Kocher-Langenbeck approaches.

2. The time that.

Translations

Noun

when (plural whens)

1. The time at which something happens.
   • 2008, Paolo Aite, Lanscapes of the Psyche, Ipoc Press (?ISBN), page 151:

     For the moment, suffice it to say that the stories told through the whens and hows of building a scene differentiate individual desires and needs more clearly than shared speech was up to then able to communicate.

Translations

Interjection

when

1. (often humorous) That's enough, a command to stop adding something, especially an ingredient of food or drink -- referring to say when.
2. (obsolete) Expressing impatience. (Compare what.)
   • c. 1600, Sir John Oldcastle, iv. 1:

     Set, parson, set; the dice die in my hand.

     When, parson, when! what, can you find no more?

   • c. 1615-1657, Thomas Middleton, More Dissemblers Besides Women, volume 1:

     Why, when? begin, sir: I must stay your leisure.

Translations

Derived terms

• whenever

See also

• since when

References

• when at OneLook Dictionary Search
• when in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• hewn

Middle English

Etymology 1

Adverb

when

1. Alternative form of whenne

Conjunction

when

1. Alternative form of whenne

Etymology 2

Verb

when

1. Alternative form of winnen (“to win”)