like

I 1. [laɪk]

preposizione

1) (in the same manner as) come

to act like a professional — agire da professionista

like the liar that he is, he... — da bugiardo quale è,...

like me, he loves swimming — come me, adora nuotare

don't talk like that! — non dire così!

"how do I do it?" - "like this" — "come si fa?" - "così"

they've gone to Ibiza or somewhere like that — sono andati a Ibiza o in qualche posto del genere

2) (similar to) come

to be like sb., sth. — essere come qcn., qcs.

you know what she's like! — sai com'è fatta lei!

what's it like? — com'è?

what was the weather like? — com'era il tempo? che tempo faceva?

I want one like it — ne voglio uno così

there's nothing like a nice warm bath! — non c'è niente di meglio di un bel bagno caldo!

I've never seen anything like it! — non ho mai visto niente di simile!

that's more like it! — così va meglio

I don't earn anything like as much as he does — sono lontano dal guadagnare quello che guadagna lui

3) (typical of)

it's not like her, it's just like her to be late — non è da lei, è da lei essere in ritardo

just like a man! — tipico degli uomini!

4) (close to)

it costs something like Ј 20 — costa circa 20 sterline

something like velvet — qualcosa di simile al velluto

2.

congiunzione

1) (in the same way as) come

nobody can sing like he does — nessuno sa cantare come lui

it's not like I imagined it would be — non è come me lo ero immaginato

like they used to — come erano soliti fare

2) colloq. (as if) come se

he acts like he owns the place — si comporta come se fosse a casa sua

3.

aggettivo

1) form. simile

cooking, ironing and like chores — cucinare, stirare e lavori simili

2) -like in composti

bird-like — simile a un uccello

child-like — infantile, da bambino

4.

avverbio (akin to, near)

it's nothing like as nice as her house — lungi dall'essere bella come la sua casa

"the figures are 10% more than last year" - "20%, more like!" — colloq. "le cifre sono superiori del 10% rispetto all'anno scorso" - "del 20%, direi!"

5.

nome

earthquakes, floods and the like — terremoti, alluvioni e simili

I've never seen its like o the like of it non ho mai visto una cosa simile; the like(s) of Al Capone — la gente come Al Capone

••

like enough (as) like as not probabilmente; like father like son — prov. tale padre tale figlio

••

Note:

When like is used as a preposition (like a child; you know what she's like!), it can generally be translated by come: come un bambino; sai com'è fatta lei! - Note however that be like and look like meaning resemble are translated by assomigliare a: she's like her father or she looks like her father = assomiglia a suo padre. - Like is used after certain other verbs in English to express particular kinds of resemblance (taste like, feel like, smell like etc.): for translations, consult the appropriate verb entry (taste, feel, smell etc.). - When like is used as a conjunction, it is translated by come: songs like my mother sings = canzoni come quelle che canta mia madre. - When like is used to introduce an illustrative example (big cities like London), it is translated by come: le grandi città come Londra. - For particular usages of like as a preposition or conjunction and for noun and adverb uses, see the entry below

II [laɪk]

verbo transitivo

1) (get on well with)

I like Luke — Luke mi è simpatico

to like A better than B — preferire A a B

to like A best — preferire A

to be well liked — essere apprezzato

2) (find to one's taste)

I like cats, music — mi piacciono i gatti, mi piace la musica

Nick doesn't like liver — a Nick non piace il fegato

she likes her coffee strong — il caffè le piace forte

how do you like your tea? — come preferisci il tè?

what I like about him is... — cosa mi piace di lui è...

I don't like the look of that man — quell'uomo non mi piace

I don't like the sound of that — non mi piace, non mi convince tanto

he hasn't phoned for weeks, I don't like it — non telefona da settimane, la cosa non mi piace

I like cheese but it doesn't like me — colloq. mi piace il formaggio ma non mi fa bene

this plant likes sunlight — questa pianta ama la luce

I like doing, I like to do mi piace fare; that's what I like to see! così mi piace! I like it when mi piace quando; I likeed it better when we did preferivo quando facevamo; how do you like your new job, living in London? — ti piace il tuo nuovo lavoro, vivere a Londra?

3) (approve of)

the boss won't like it if you're late — il capo non sarà contento se arrivi in ritardo

she doesn't like to be kept waiting — non le piace dovere aspettare

he likes them to do — gli piace che facciano

like it or not we all pay tax — ci piaccia o no tutti dobbiamo pagare le tasse

4) (wish) volere

I would o should like a ticket vorrei un biglietto; I would o should like to do vorrei fare; would you like to come to dinner? cosa ne direste di venire a cena? I wouldn't like to think I'd upset her non vorrei averla sconvolta; we'd like her to do vorremmo che o ci piacerebbe facesse; would you like me to come? vuoi che venga? if you like se vuoi; he's a bit of a rebel if you like è un po' ribelle, se vogliamo; you can do what you like puoi fare quello che vuoi; say what you like, I think it's a good idea di' quel che vuoi, per me è una buona idea; sit (any)where you like — si sieda dove vuole

5) (think important)

I like to keep fit — ci tengo a restare in forma

* * *

I 1. adjective

(the same or similar: They're as like as two peas.)

2. preposition

(the same as or similar to; in the same or a similar way as: He climbs like a cat; She is like her mother.)

3. noun

(someone or something which is the same or as good etc as another: You won't see his like / their like again.)

4. conjunction

((especially American) in the same or a similar way as: No-one does it like he does.)

- likely

- likelihood
- liken
- likeness
- likewise
- like-minded
- a likely story!
- as likely as not
- be like someone
- feel like
- he is likely to
- look like
- not likely! II verb

1) (to be pleased with; to find pleasant or agreeable: I like him very much; I like the way you've decorated this room.)

2) (to enjoy: I like gardening.)

•

- likeable

- likable
- liking
- should/would like
- take a liking to

* * *

I 1. [laɪk]

preposizione

1) (in the same manner as) come

to act like a professional — agire da professionista

like the liar that he is, he... — da bugiardo quale è,...

like me, he loves swimming — come me, adora nuotare

don't talk like that! — non dire così!

"how do I do it?" - "like this" — "come si fa?" - "così"

they've gone to Ibiza or somewhere like that — sono andati a Ibiza o in qualche posto del genere

2) (similar to) come

to be like sb., sth. — essere come qcn., qcs.

you know what she's like! — sai com'è fatta lei!

what's it like? — com'è?

what was the weather like? — com'era il tempo? che tempo faceva?

I want one like it — ne voglio uno così

there's nothing like a nice warm bath! — non c'è niente di meglio di un bel bagno caldo!

I've never seen anything like it! — non ho mai visto niente di simile!

that's more like it! — così va meglio

I don't earn anything like as much as he does — sono lontano dal guadagnare quello che guadagna lui

3) (typical of)

it's not like her, it's just like her to be late — non è da lei, è da lei essere in ritardo

just like a man! — tipico degli uomini!

4) (close to)

it costs something like Ј 20 — costa circa 20 sterline

something like velvet — qualcosa di simile al velluto

2.

congiunzione

1) (in the same way as) come

nobody can sing like he does — nessuno sa cantare come lui

it's not like I imagined it would be — non è come me lo ero immaginato

like they used to — come erano soliti fare

2) colloq. (as if) come se

he acts like he owns the place — si comporta come se fosse a casa sua

3.

aggettivo

1) form. simile

cooking, ironing and like chores — cucinare, stirare e lavori simili

2) -like in composti

bird-like — simile a un uccello

child-like — infantile, da bambino

4.

avverbio (akin to, near)

it's nothing like as nice as her house — lungi dall'essere bella come la sua casa

"the figures are 10% more than last year" - "20%, more like!" — colloq. "le cifre sono superiori del 10% rispetto all'anno scorso" - "del 20%, direi!"

5.

nome

earthquakes, floods and the like — terremoti, alluvioni e simili

I've never seen its like o the like of it non ho mai visto una cosa simile; the like(s) of Al Capone — la gente come Al Capone

••

like enough (as) like as not probabilmente; like father like son — prov. tale padre tale figlio

••

Note:

When like is used as a preposition (like a child; you know what she's like!), it can generally be translated by come: come un bambino; sai com'è fatta lei! - Note however that be like and look like meaning resemble are translated by assomigliare a: she's like her father or she looks like her father = assomiglia a suo padre. - Like is used after certain other verbs in English to express particular kinds of resemblance (taste like, feel like, smell like etc.): for translations, consult the appropriate verb entry (taste, feel, smell etc.). - When like is used as a conjunction, it is translated by come: songs like my mother sings = canzoni come quelle che canta mia madre. - When like is used to introduce an illustrative example (big cities like London), it is translated by come: le grandi città come Londra. - For particular usages of like as a preposition or conjunction and for noun and adverb uses, see the entry below

II [laɪk]

verbo transitivo

1) (get on well with)

I like Luke — Luke mi è simpatico

to like A better than B — preferire A a B

to like A best — preferire A

to be well liked — essere apprezzato

2) (find to one's taste)

I like cats, music — mi piacciono i gatti, mi piace la musica

Nick doesn't like liver — a Nick non piace il fegato

she likes her coffee strong — il caffè le piace forte

how do you like your tea? — come preferisci il tè?

what I like about him is... — cosa mi piace di lui è...

I don't like the look of that man — quell'uomo non mi piace

I don't like the sound of that — non mi piace, non mi convince tanto

he hasn't phoned for weeks, I don't like it — non telefona da settimane, la cosa non mi piace

I like cheese but it doesn't like me — colloq. mi piace il formaggio ma non mi fa bene

this plant likes sunlight — questa pianta ama la luce

I like doing, I like to do mi piace fare; that's what I like to see! così mi piace! I like it when mi piace quando; I likeed it better when we did preferivo quando facevamo; how do you like your new job, living in London? — ti piace il tuo nuovo lavoro, vivere a Londra?

3) (approve of)

the boss won't like it if you're late — il capo non sarà contento se arrivi in ritardo

she doesn't like to be kept waiting — non le piace dovere aspettare

he likes them to do — gli piace che facciano

like it or not we all pay tax — ci piaccia o no tutti dobbiamo pagare le tasse

4) (wish) volere

I would o should like a ticket vorrei un biglietto; I would o should like to do vorrei fare; would you like to come to dinner? cosa ne direste di venire a cena? I wouldn't like to think I'd upset her non vorrei averla sconvolta; we'd like her to do vorremmo che o ci piacerebbe facesse; would you like me to come? vuoi che venga? if you like se vuoi; he's a bit of a rebel if you like è un po' ribelle, se vogliamo; you can do what you like puoi fare quello che vuoi; say what you like, I think it's a good idea di' quel che vuoi, per me è una buona idea; sit (any)where you like — si sieda dove vuole

5) (think important)

I like to keep fit — ci tengo a restare in forma