▪ I. alike, a.
(əˈlaɪk)
Forms: α. 1–2 ᵹel{iacu}c, 2–4 ilich(e, 5 yleche. β. 4–5 alyche (5 aleche, 6 aleeche). γ. 2–5 ilik(e, 5 illike, ilyke, ylyke, ylike. δ. 5–6 alyke, 6– alike.
[Here, as in alike adv., two, if not three, earlier words seem blended: 1. OE. ᵹel{iacu}c (OS. gelîc, gilîc, OFris. gelîk, OHG. ge-, gi-, ga-lîh, mod.G. gleich, Goth. galeiks, ON. glîkr), f. ge-:—ga- together + l{iacu}c like; 2. ON. ál{iacu}kr (cogn. w. OE. anl{iacu}c, onl{iacu}c, Goth. analeiks, OHG. ana(ga)lîh, MHG. anelîch), f. á prep. on, unto, to + l{iacu}k like; 3. The OE. anl{iacu}c itself survived to 14th c., and would naturally also give alike, alich, as its later form; see anlike. The mod. alike seems mainly due to the ON., the 15th c. repr. of OE. ᵹel{iacu}c being ilich; but the example of afford, and the a- for ᵹe- in s.w. dial., show that ᵹel{iacu}c might have given alike independently.]
Like one another, similar, of identical form or character. (Now almost always predicatively; and of, or referring to, things in the plural.)
| α c 950 Lindisf. G. Matt. xxii. 39 Ðe æftera ᵹelic is ðisum. c 1000 Ags. G. ibid., Oðyr ys þysum ᵹelic. c 1160 Hatton G. ibid., Oðer is þan ᵹelic. c 1175 Pater N. 38 in Lamb. Hom. 57 And þis oðer..þis is ilich. c 1260 Signs bef. Judgm. in E.E.P. 10 Al we sul ben ilich. 1340 Ayenb. 196 Þe poure þet is ilich þe. c 1400 Beryn 736 Noon to hym I-lich of worship, ne of wele. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 100 Thre wax candels..Every candel y leche of weyȝt. |
| β c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 389 Al be that here stat be nat a-lyche [v.r. yliche—5]. |
| γ c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 151 Under houene ne nan is ilike. a 1300 K. Horn 502 Þer was no kniȝt hym ilik. 1391 Chaucer Astrol. i. xvii. 9 Than ben the daies & the nyhtes illike of lenghthe. 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle iv. xxvi. (1483) 71 Tho two that ben y lyke. |
| δ 1440 Promp. Parv., Alyke or euynlyke, Equalis. Alyke or lyke yn lykenes, Similis. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. i. i. 56 Male, twins, both alike. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 43 High, low, men, women, clergy, and laity, are all alike. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) II. 87 They are become so much alike, you can scarce distinguish one shilling from another. 1812 Combe (Dr. Syntax) Picturesque viii. 29 Alike the laurel to the truly brave; That binds the brow or consecrates the grave. 1837 J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (ed. 3) I. xvii. 255 They begin to think all religions alike. |
In various other
const. Now
rare.
| 1535 Coverdale Wisd. xi. 11 Whether they were absent or present, their punyshment was alyke. 1615 T. Adams Spirit. Nav. 20 You see the alike distastefulness of the world and sea. 1634 Canne Necess. Sep. (1849) 46 It is a like to have no minister at all, as to have an idol in the place of a true minister. 1637 Earl of Monmouth Romulus & Tarq. 12 Children, for the most part, side with the belly; and their change is easie, where are alike qualities. 1640 Fuller Joseph's Coat vii. (1867) 181 Moses..made it in all things alike to the pattern he saw in the mount. 1653 Ashwell Fides Apost. 102 The Romane-Catholik, who with alike loudnes and lying proclaimes to the world, etc. 1658 J. R. Mouffet's Theat. Ins. 944 This of the male kinde. The female is almost alike, but somewhat more black. 1680 W. Allen Persw. Peace 83 To consist of somewhat alike mixture as that of the Jews of old did. 1748 Hartley Observ. Man i. iii. §2. ¶87 Where the Instances are alike..to that under Consideration. 1867 Morris Jason ix. 170 A golden glittering sun That seemed well-nigh alike the heavenly one. 1920 D. H. Lawrence Lost Girl vi. 112 Oh, but he was always alike. 1938 E. Bowen Death of Heart iii. i. 339 Thomas and Portia turned their alike profiles in the direction from which the breeze came. |
▪ II. alike, adv. (
əˈlaɪk)
Forms: α. 1–2
ᵹel{iacu}ce, 2–5
iliche, 4–5
ilyche, 5
yliche,
ylyche,
ylich. β. 4–5
aliche, 5
eliche,
alych(e,
aleche. γ. 3–5
olike,
olyke. δ. 4–5
ilike,
ilyke,
ylyke, 4–6
ylike. ε. 5–6
elyke,
elike. ζ. 6
alyke, 6–
alike.
[Like the prec. represents two (or three) orig. words: 1. OE. ᵹel{iacu}ce adv., f. ᵹel{iacu}c adj. 2. ON. ál{iacu}ka adv., f. ál{iacu}kr adj., cogn. w. OE. anl{iacu}ce, which may also itself be one of the sources of ME. aliche. Since 1500 alike has taken the place of all the ME. forms.] In like manner, in the same manner, in the same way, at the same rate, equally, similarly.
| α a 1000 Blickl. Hom. 119 Ne wæron ðas ealle ᵹelice lange. c 1175 Cotton Hom. 219 He geð of þe fader and of þe sune ȝelice. c 1175 Pater N. 60 in Lamb. Hom. 57 His name is hali and efre wes iliche swiðe. c 1300 St. Brand. 714 This frut is evere iliche ripe, and this lond iliche liȝt. 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 9 Al is ylyche goode to me Joy or sorrowe wherso hyt be. 1485 Caxton Trevisa's Higden i. xliv. (1527) 44 All these iii Ilondes, Wyght, Mon and Man ben almoost yliche moche and of lyke quantyte. |
| β c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1477 Al aliche dresset. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 297 Ever in one aliche hot. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeless i. 66 All eliche grette. c 1440 Morte Arth. 194 Seyne come þer sewes sere..Ownd of aȝure alle over and ardant þem semyde, Of ilke aleche þe lowe launschide fulle hye. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. lxxvii. 63 Al shold be alych hygh. |
| γ c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2024 Al it was him olike loð. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 7560 Alle er þa noght olyke clere. c 1430 St. Katherine (Gibbs MS.) 47 Olyke endeles wyth his maker. |
| δ 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 436 Alle tymes y-like. c 1385 Chaucer Leg. G. Wom. 57 And evene I-like fayr & fresch of hewe. Ibid. 731 And bothe in love I-lyke sore they brente. 1486 Bk. St. Alban's, Fysshynge 13 Fasten theym in thee clyftes ylyke streyghte. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Mar., My selfe will have a double eye, Ylike to my flocke and thine. |
| ε a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. 51 The gud lady Meknes þat aye elyke makis hir selfe lowly. c 1460 Townely Myst. 57 A bush I se burnand fulle bryght, And ever elyke the leyfes ar greyn. 1513 Douglas æ neis x. viii. 34 My fader..Reputis all elike. |
| ζ 1535 Coverdale Eccles. ix. 3 It happeneth vnto all alyke. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. i. vi. 148 A lady, that disdains Thee, and the devil alike. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 640 All seasons and thir change, all please alike. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 509 ¶9 To treat his customers all alike. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 81 Nature, a mother kind alike to all. 1824 Dibdin Libr. Comp. 87 He would sacrifice alike logic and candour. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 194 The minister's virtues and vices alike contributed to his ruin. 1879 Froude Cæsar ii. 18 By means which demoralised alike the givers and receivers. |
Comb. † alike-minded a., of a like mind, like-minded.
| 1638 Sanderson 21 Serm. Ad Aul. viii. (1673) 118 The strong agreed well enough among themselves, and were all alike-minded, and so the weak among themselves, all alike-minded too. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. 82 (T.) I would to God..all our brethren of this land, were alike-minded. |