• LIKANCE
n. c1460 obs. rare – liking; pleasure
• LIKE
vb. 16C – to desire sexually
• LIKE A BABY’S ARM WITH AN APPLE IN ITS FIST
phr. 1930s sl. – used to describe an extra-large penis
• LIKE A BABY’S ARM WITH AN ORANGE IN ITS FIST
phr. 1930s sl. – used to describe an extra-large penis
• LIKE A BABY’S BOTTOM
adj. 1920s sl. – smooth, featureless
• LIKE A BANDIT
adv. 1970s US sl. – enthusiastically, very, fast, very successfully
• LIKE A BASTARD
adv. 1910s sl., orig. US – a general intensifier
• LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL
adj. E20 US colloq. – extremely fast
• LIKE ABC
adj. Bk1909 sl. – easy, as simple as learning the alphabet
• LIKE A BEAR WITH A SORE EAR
adj. 1785 – very irritable, sullen, or bad-tempered
• LIKE A BEAR WITH A SORE HEAD
adj. 1830 – very irritable, sullen, or bad-tempered
• LIKE A BEER BOTTLE ON THE COLISEUM
adj. 1940s Aust. sl. – conspicuous
• LIKE A BIG-ASSED BIRD
adv. 1945 US sl. – swiftly
• LIKE A BIG DOG
phr. 1980s US college sl. – having qualities to do with achievement, success, intensity
• LIKE A BIRCH-BROOM IN A FIT
adj. 1872 – said of rough, tousled hair
• LIKE A BIRD
adv. 1873 – with swift and easy motion onwards; easily; without resistance, difficulty, or hesitation
• LIKE A BLINK
adv. 1950s sl. – immediately, very quickly
• LIKE A BLUE-ARSED BABOON
adv. 1950s sl. – headlong, very fast
• LIKE A BLUE-ARSED FLY
adv.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – in a frantic manner
• LIKE A BOILED OWL
adj. 1857 Amer. sl. – drunk
• LIKE A BOMB
adv. 1950s sl., orig. US – very fast
• LIKE A BRIGHTON BUCKET
phr. 1987 Trinidad and Tobago – without recognizing someone when you pass them in the street
• LIKE A BUMP ON A LOG
adj. M19 US sl. – stupidly silent or inarticulate
• LIKE A BUTTERLY IN HEAT
adj. 1975 US sl., esp. homosexual usage – behaving in a dithering manner; indecisive
• LIKE A CABBIE’S ARMPIT
phr. 20C Brit. sl. – said of a mouth that is less than fresh
• LIKE A CAB DRIVER’S ARMPIT
phr. 20C Brit. sl. – said of a mouth that is less than fresh
• LIKE A CHICKEN WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bewildered; confused; muddled
• LIKE A CHIP IN A MESS OF MILK
adj. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – of persons: insignificant, useless
• LIKE A COUNTRY DUNNY
adj. 1954 Aust. sl. – glaringly obvious, standing out
• LIKE A DOG KILLING SNAKES
adv. 1984 Amer. dial. – with a violent shaking of the head
• LIKE A DOG’S DINNER
adj. 1927 colloq. – dressed smartly or ostentatiously
• LIKE A DOSE OF SALTS
adv. 1837 UK – very quickly and effectively, rapidly
• LIKE A DYING DUCK IN A THUNDERSTORM
adj. 1874 – cast down in spirit; very down in the mouth; having a forlorn and hopeless expression; depressed, dejected
• LIKE A FLY IN A GLUE-POT
adj. 1854 colloq. – nervously excited
• LIKE A FLY IN A TAR-BOX
adj. 1659 colloq. – nervously excited
• LIKE A FROG IN A FIT
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – said of one who is tipsy
• LIKE A HALF-SLED IN A SNOWSTORM
adv. 1893 Amer. dial. – in an uncontrolled or unmanageable manner
• LIKE A HALF-SLED ON ICE
adv. 1873 Amer. dial. – in an uncontrolled or unmanageable manner
• LIKE A HATTER
adv. 1857 Sc. & Eng. dial. – vigorously, boldly
• LIKE A HOOER AT A CHRISTENING
adj. 1960s NZ sl. – in a state of confusion
• LIKE A HUMBLE-BEE IN A CHURN
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – having a voice not distinctly audible
• A LIKE AIM
n. Bk1898 Eng. dial. – a shrewd guess
• LIKE A KNIFE
adv. M19 US sl. – very quickly
• LIKE A KNOT ON A LOG
adj. 1873 Amer. dial. – immovable, motionless, perfectly still
• LIKE A LAMPLIGHTER
adv. 1838 Eng. & Amer. dial. – quickly, fast; with long, rapid strides
• LIKE A LILY ON A DIRT TIN
adj. 1930s Aust. sl. – utterly inappropriate or unsuitable
• LIKE A LILY ON A DUSTBIN
adj. 1. 1930s Aust. sl. – utterly inappropriate or unsuitable
adj. 2. Bk1999 Aust. sl. – lonely, neglected
• LIKE ALL GET-OUT
adv. M19 sl. – to the highest degree, with the utmost vigour
• LIKE ALL NATURE
adv. 1824 Amer. dial. arch. – to an extreme degree; like the dickens
• LIKE ALL-POSSESSED
adv. 1. 1833 Amer. dial. – as if bewitched
adv. 2. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – strongly, violently
• LIKE A LOAD OF BRICKS
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – noisily
• LIKE A LORD’S BASTARD
adv. 1940s sl. – in great luxury
• LIKE A MIDSHIPMAN WITH MONEY IN BOTH POCKETS
adj. M19 sl. – extremely unlikely, very odd
• LIKE A MOJO
phr. 1980s US college African-American sl. – a great deal
• LIKE A MONKEY ON A STICK
adj. L19 sl. – behaving in an eccentric, bizarre manner
• LIKE A MONKEY TRYING TO BUGGER A FOOTBALL
phr. 1965 Amer. sl. – very clumsy; foolishly
• LIKE A MONKEY TRYING TO FUCK A FOOTBALL
phr. 1981 Amer. sl. – very clumsy; foolishly
• LIKE A MONKEY UP A STICK
adj. L19 colloq. – performing queer antics
• LIKE A MONKEY WITH A TIN TOOL
adj. c1863 – impudent. self-satisfied
• LIKE A MOOSE
phr. 1980s US college sl. – having qualities to do with achievement, success, intensity
• LIKE AN ADDLED EGG
adj. c1630 – bewildered, confused
• LIKE AN ARROW
phr. 1988 US sl. – in poker: said of a sequence of five cards, conventionally known as a ‘straight’
• LIKE AN OLD MOLL AT A CHRISTENING
adj. 1960s NZ sl. – in a state of confusion
• LIKE A ONE-ARMED PAPERHANGER WITH THE ITCH
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – busy
• LIKE A ONE-LEGGED MAN AT AN ARSE-KICKER’S PARTY
adj.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – out of place; ill at ease
• LIKE A PICKPOCKET AT A NUDIST CAMP
adj.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – out of place, out of one’s element
• LIKE A POSSUM UP A GUMTREE
adj.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – supremely happy; in high spirits
• LIKE A RED-HEADED STEPCHILD
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – unjustly, unkindly
• LIKE AS AN APPLE TO AN OYSTER
adj. 1532 – totally different
• LIKE A SHAG ON A ROCK
phr. 1845 Aust. sl. – denoting the isolation or unhappiness associated with solitude, on one’s own, forlorn, lonely
• LIKE A SHEEP’S HEAD, ALL JAW
adj. 1840 – said of a talkative person
• LIKE A SHOT
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly
• LIKE A SHOT OUT OF HELL
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly
• LIKE A SHOT THROUGH HELL
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly
• LIKE A SINGED CAT
phr. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – applied to anything whose appearance does it injustice
• LIKE A SPOTTED-BOTTOMED APE
adv. 1947 US sl. – headlong; at great speed
• LIKE A STRAWYARD BULL, FULL OF FUCK AND HALF-STARVED
phr. Bk1904 sl. – a jocose retort to the question, “How are you?”; (strawyard – a shelter or refuge for the destitute)
• LIKE A STREAK OF CHAIN-LIGHTNING
adv. 1834 Amer. dial. – very quickly
• LIKE A STRIPED APE
adv. 1950 US sl. – headlong; at great speed
• LIKE A STRIPED-ASS APE
adv. 1952 US sl. – headlong, very fast
• LIKE A STUNNED MULLET
adj.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – bewildered, inert
• LIKE A THOUSAND OF BRICKS
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – noisily
• LIKE A TON OF BRICKS
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – noisily
• LIKE A TWO-BOB WATCH
adv.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – in an erratic or crazy manner
• LIKE A WHIRLYGUST IN A TEACUP
adv. 2006 Amer. dial. – headlong; impetuously
• LIKE A WHIRLYGUST OF WOODPECKERS
adv. 1916 Amer. dial. – headlong
• LIKE A WHITEHEAD
adv. 1826 Amer. dial. – very fast or vigorously
• LIKE BARNEY’S BRIG
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – in a thoroughly disorderly state
• LIKE BARNEY’S BRIG, BOTH MAIN TACKS OVER THE FOREYARD
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – in a thoroughly disorderly state
• LIKE BILLY-HO
adv. 1885 colloq. – very quickly; strongly, a lot
• LIKE BILLY-O
adv. 1885 colloq. – very quickly; strongly, a lot
• LIKE BLINKO
adv. 1950s sl. – immediately, very quickly
• LIKE BLUE MURDER
adv. 1914 sl. – at a terrific pace; at top speed
• LIKE BUSTER’S GANG
adv. 1941 US jocular usage – with great excitement and speed
• LIKE BUTTER IN THE BLACK DOG’S HAUSE
adj. 1825 Sc. – irretrievably lost (hause = throat)
• LIKE DADDY-COME-TO-CHURCH
adj. 1950s US sl. – to a very great extent; very much
• LIKE DAFT
adv. 1793 Sc. – madly, wildly
• LIKE DEAD LICE ARE FALLING OFF
adv. 1965 Amer. dial. – of a person’s manner of action: slowly, lethargically
• LIKE DEATH WARMED UP
adj. 1939 sl. – used to denote extreme exhaustion or tiredness; ill
• LIKE FIVE HUNDRED
adj. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – very fast
• LIKEFUL
adj. c1305 obs. – pleasing, pleasant, acceptable, agreeable
• LIKE FUN
adv. c1815 colloq. – very quickly; vigorously
int. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – by no means; on no account
• LIKE FUNK ON A SKUNK
adj. 1960s African-American sl. – very close, extremely intimate
• LIKE FURY
adv. c1840 colloq. – like mad, furiously, very hard or vigorously
• LIKE HAULIN’ A LOG OUT’N A SCALDIN’ TUB
phr. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – comparison to denote difficulty
• LIKE HEFT AND BLADE
phr. 1884 Eng. dial. – close companions
• LIKE HELL
adv. 1. L18 colloq. – with extreme vigour; desperately
adv. 2. 20C colloq. – very badly
int. 1925 sl. – I don’t believe it; certainly not!
• LIKE HERRINGS
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – crowded, packed
• LIKE HERRINGS IN A BARREL
adj. 1704 – very crowded; very closely packed together
• LIKE IT OR LUMP IT!
int. 20C – put up with it or go without!
• LIKE KILLING BLACK SNAKES
adv. 1906 Amer. dial. – very industriously, intensively
• LIKE KILLING SNAKES
adv. 1956 Amer. dial. – very industriously, intensively
• LIKE LICKING HONEY OFF A THORN
phr. Bk1905 Eng. dial. – said of an employment yielding but small and uncertain profit
• LIKE LIPS, LIKELETTUCE
phr. a1540 obs. – like has met its like
• LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYMOW
phr. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – a hopeless search
• LIKELY
adj. 1. 1779 US – handsome, well-formed
adj. 2. 1809 Amer. dial. – good-natured; pleasing, agreeable
adj. 3. 1809 Amer. dial. – sensible, intelligent
adj. 4. 1899 Amer. dial. – able-bodied, competent, capable
adj. 5. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – vigorous; robust
• A LIKELY STORY
n. 1865 sl. – a statement greeted with incredulity; a lie
• A LIKELY TALE
n. 1749 sl. – a statement greeted with incredulity; a lie
• LIKE MAD
adv. 1653 UK – to an extraordinary extent; very much
• LIKE MAGNIFICAT AT MATINS
adj. L16 Brit. sl. – out of order
• LIKE MALACHI’S CHILD, CHOKEFULL OF SENSE
phr. 1865 Eng. dial. – said of anyone who boasts of himself or of his children
• LIKEN
vb. 1956 Amer. dial. – to resemble
• LIKE NAILS
adj. Bk1903 Eng. dial. – comparing anything very hard
• LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS
adv. 1938 Brit. – to an extraordinary extent; very much
• LIKE OLD BILLY
adv. 1894 sl. – like the devil, hard, furiously, very energetically
• LIKE OLD BILLY-O
adv. 1923 – like the devil, hard, furiously
• LIKE OLD BOOTS
adv. 1. 1850 sl. – quickly, swiftly
adv. 2. 1865 sl. – vigorously, thoroughgoingly
• LIKE OLD HARRY
adv. M17 sl. – to a great extent
• LIKE OLD NICK
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – very quickly
• LIKE OLD SCRATCH
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – very quickly
• LIKE SARDINES
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – crowded, packed
• LIKE SARDINES IN A BARREL
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – crowded, packed
• LIKE SARDINES IN A TIN
adj. M19 colloq. – crowded, huddled
• LIKE SHIT STICKING TO A SHOVEL
adj. L19 sl. – very adhesive indeed
• LIKE SHOOTING DUCKS ON A POND
adj. 1940s sl. – very easy
• LIKE SIXTY
adv. 1848 colloq. – with great force or vigour; at a great rate
• LIKE SKELETONS FUCKING ON A TIN ROOF
phr. 1961 US sl. – used as a perfect simile for a rattling noise
• LIKE SMOKE
adv. 1825 Amer. dial. – very quickly or vigorously
• LIKE SNUFF AT A WAKE
adv. 1. 20C Irish sl. – in large amounts
adv. 2. 20C Irish sl. – very quickly
• LIKE STANK ON SHIT
adj. 1960s African-American sl. – very close, extremely intimate
• LIKE STEAM
adv. M19 sl. – very quickly, very easily, energetically
• LIKE STINK
adv. 1920s sl. – intensely, furiously
• LIKE STINK ON GLUE
adj. 1960s African-American sl. – very close, extremely intimate
• LIKE STINK ON SHIT
adj. 1960s African-American sl. – very close, extremely intimate
• LIKE ST. PAUL’S
phr. 20C Aust. sl. – used to describe tight trousers
• LIKE STUPIDNESS
adv. 1950s W. Indies & Black British sl. – abundantly, in great supply
• LIKE TAR
adv. 1900s sl. – very keenly, very quickly
• LIKE THAT
adj. 1976 Amer. dial. – pregnant
• LIKE THE BACK END OF A BUS
adj. 1959 sl. – ugly, unattractive
• LIKE THE BACK OF A BUS
adj. 1959 sl. – ugly, unattractive
• LIKE THE CLAPPERS
adj.Bk1999 Aust. sl. – very fast
• LIKE THE DEVIL!
int. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – by no means; on no account
• LIKE THE DEVIL BEATING TANBARK
adv. 1851 Amer. dial. – very fast, vigorously, severely
• LIKE THE GOLD DUST TWINS
phr. 1966 Amer. dial. – said of people who are very friendly toward each other
• LIKE THE MILL TAIL O’ THUNDER
adv. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – in a swift, disorderly, and excited manner
• LIKE THE MILLTAILS OF HELL
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – in a fast and violent manner, swiftly
• LIKE THE MISCHIEF
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – very quickly
• LIKE THE OLD HARRY
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – quickly
• LIKE THE OLD SCRATCH
adv. 1941 Amer. dial. – very quickly
• LIKE THIRTY CENTS
adj. 1896 US sl. – unpleasant; deplorable
• LIKE TOADS UNDER A HARROW
adj. 1802-12 – oppressed
• LIKE TWO CENTS
adj. 1929 Amer. sl. – worthless
• LIKE TWO FERRETS FIGHTING IN A SACK
phr.20C Aust. sl. – said when looking at a large woman’s wobbly bum
• LIKE UGLY ON A BABOON
adv. 1968 Amer. dial. – tenaciously; incessantly, untiringly
• LIKE UGLY ON AN APE
adv. 1968 Amer. dial. – tenaciously; incessantly, untiringly
• LIKE UGLY ON A TOAD
adv. 2005 Amer. dial. – tenaciously; incessantly, untiringly
• LIKE UGLY ON A WARTHOG
adv. 2006 Amer. dial. – tenaciously; incessantly, untiringly
• LIKE UNTO
prep. 1867 Amer. dial. – similar to; in the manner of
• LIKE WHITE ON RICE
adv. 1938 Amer. dial. – very close to; in very close proximity
• LIKE WINKY
adv. 1855 Eng. dial. – very quickly; in a moment; as in the twinkling of an eye
• LIKEWORTH
adj. c888 obs. – agreeable, acceptable, pleasing
• LIKKETY-DAMN
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – with great speed or vigour; quickly
• LIKKETY-HELL
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – with great speed or vigour; quickly
• LIKKETY-RIP
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – with great speed or vigour; quickly
• LIKKETY-SCOOT
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – with great speed or vigour; quickly
• LIKKETY-WHOOP
adv. 1923 Amer. dial. – with great speed or vigour; quickly
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