different between likely vs seem

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?la?kli/

Etymology 1

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ?el?cl?? (“likely”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *l?kal?kaz, equivalent to like +? -ly.

Adjective

likely (comparative likelier or more likely, superlative likeliest or most likely)

1. probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring

2. (as predicate, followed by to and infinitive) Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable
3. appropriate, suitable; believable; having a good potential

4. plausible; within the realm of credibility
5. promising; apt to achieve success or yield a desired outcome

6. attractive; pleasant

7. (obsolete) Similar; like; alike.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, An Hymne in Honour of Beautie

     For love is a celestiall harmonie Of likely harts composed of starres concent

Derived terms

• likely lad

Synonyms

• (as predicate, followed by "to" and infinitive): liable

Translations

Noun

likely (plural likelies)

1. Something or somebody considered likely.

Etymology 2

From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ?el?cl??e (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *l?kal?ka, equivalent to like +? -ly.

Adverb

likely (comparative more likely, superlative most likely) (US)

1. (obsolete) Similarly.
2. Probably.

Usage notes

• The adverb is more common in US English than in British English.
• As an adverb, likely is often preceded by a modifier such as most or quite.

Translations

Anagrams

• Ilkley, Killey

English

Alternative forms

• seme (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English semen (“to seem, befit, be becoming”), from Old Norse sœma (“to conform to, beseem, befit”), from Proto-Germanic *s?mijan? (“to unite, fit”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; whole”). Cognate with Scots seme (“to be fitting; beseem”), Danish sømme (“to beseem”), Old Swedish søma, Faroese søma (“to be proper”). Related also to Old Norse sómi (“honour”) ( > archaic Danish somme (“decent comportment”)), Old Norse sœmr (“fitting, seemly”), Old English s?man (“to reconcile, bring an agreement”), Old English s?m (“agreement”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si?m/
• Rhymes: -i?m
• Homophones: seam, seme

Verb

seem (third-person singular simple present seems, present participle seeming, simple past and past participle seemed)

1. (copulative) To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.
   • 1460-1500, The Towneley Plays?

     He is so fair, without lease, he seems full well to sit on this.

   • 1813 (14^thc.), Dante Alighieri, The Vision of Hell as translated by The Rev. H. F. Cary.

     He, from his face removing the gross air, / Oft his left hand forth stretch'd, and seem'd alone / By that annoyance wearied.
2. (obsolete) To befit; to beseem.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Derived terms

• meseems
• seeming
• seemingly
• seemly
• seemlihood
• seemliness

Translations

Anagrams

• Esme, Esmé, emes, mese, seme, semé, smee

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch s?m, from Proto-Germanic *saimaz.

Noun

sêem m

1. honey

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: zeem
• West Flemish: zêem

Further reading

• “seem”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929) , “seem”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, ?ISBN