like to think that someone or something is nice:
I like your dress – it’s a beautiful colour. Do you like spaghetti? What did you like about the movie? I like travelling by train. I like to see the children enjoying themselves. Everybody liked Mr Schofield.be fond of somebody/something especially British English to like someone or something, especially something that you have liked for a long time or someone who you have known for a long time:
Connie had always been fond of animals. Over the years, I’ve become quite fond of him. He had always been fond of drinking at lunchtime, perhaps too fond.be keen on somebody/something especially British English spoken to like someone or something – often used in negative sentences:
I like Maria but I’m not keen on her husband. Our English teacher was very keen on Shakespeare, but I couldn’t stand him. I was keen on all sports at school. I know he’s keen on opera. Let’s take him to see 'La Traviata'. I’m quite keen on the idea of having a fancy dress party. be into something informal to like doing a particular activity or be interested in a particular subject – used especially by young people:
She’s really into music at the moment. What kind of films are you into?have a thing about somebody/something informal to like someone or something, especially something surprising or unusual:
I’ve always had a thing about wolves. He has this thing about tall women.be partial to something formal to like to have something – often used humorously:
He’s partial to the occasional glass of wine.something grows on you used when saying that you begin to like something, especially something that you did not like before:
I didn’t like the colour of the room at first, but it’s growing on me.love/adore to like something very much.
Adore is stronger than
love but is less common:
I love the smell of coffee. The children absolutely adore her books.be crazy about something (
also be mad about something British English informal) to be extremely interested in an activity and spend a lot of time doing it or watching it:
Jonah’s crazy about basketball. She’s always been mad about horses.have a passion for something to like an activity very much, because it gives you a lot of pleasure or excitement:
From a very early age he had a passion for fast cars. To be a great performer, you have to work very hard and have a passion for the music you play.be addicted to something to like doing something so much that you spend all your free time doing it:
My son’s addicted to computer games – he hardly ever comes out of his room. I started watching the show out of curiosity, but now I’m addicted!similar adjective almost the same:
Jo said she’d had a similar experience. The colours are very similar, but I like this one best.alike adjective [not before noun] very similar - used especially about the way people look or behave:
She and her sister look alike. Lawyers are all alike - I don’t trust them.close adjective very similar:
The film bears a close resemblance to real life (=is very similar). The painting is remarkably close to the original.much the same very similar:
The glass is still made in much the same way as it was 100 years ago. People are much the same, wherever you go. She still looks very much the same.identical adjective exactly the same:
The two computers were identical in design. identical namesmatching adjective having the same colour, style, pattern etc as something else - used about clothes or furniture that you wear or use together:
She wore matching silver shoes and handbag. a dining table and matching chairsakin to something formal fairly similar to something:
These dialects are akin to Arabic, though different in several respects. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲