▪ I. † beˈlike, v.1 Obs.
In 3 bilike, 5 belyke.
[? f. be- 5 + like a.]
1. trans. To make like, to simulate.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 839 All thine wordes beth isliked, And so bisemed and biliked, That alle tho that hi avoth Hi weneth that thu segge soth. |
2. trans. To be like, to resemble.
| 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 25 Reynkin my yongest sone, belyketh me so wel, I hope he shal folowe my stappes. |
▪ II. † belike, v.2 Obs.
[f. be- 2 + like v.]
1. impers. To be pleasing to, to please.
| 1764 T. Bridges Homer Travest. (1797) II. 207 Let him, since it belikes him well, Stay where he is. |
2. trans. To like, to be pleased with.
| 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. (1582) 403 a, Those that are beloued and belyked of prynces. 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Epist. 144 b, Such things as I in thee should have belikte. |
Hence beˈliked ppl. a.
| 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. (1582) 406 a, Therfore let not the beliked think, if he dare beleeue mee, etc. |
▪ III. belike, adv.
(bɪˈlaɪk)
Also 6 belyke, bylyke, -like, 7 bee-like.
[? f. be = by prep. + like a. or n.; ? ‘By what is likely, by what seems.’]
A. adv. To appearance, likely, in all likelihood, probably; not unlikely, perhaps, possibly.
| a 1533 Frith Purgatory (1829) 121 Belike this man hath drunk of a merry cup. 1579 Fulke Heskins' Parl. 73 By like all their ceremonies bee not so auncient. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon I. 157 In 1572, and belike before, he had a Chamber. 1741 Richardson Pamela I. 238 All these three, belike, went together. 1800 Wordsw. Pet Lamb, Things that I know not of belike to thee are dear. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 268 Caterpillar-like..Become the Painted Peacock, or belike The Brimstone-wing. |
† B. adj. Like, likely (to do something). Obs.
| 1550 Lever Serm. 30 For they seme belyke to do moste good wyth the ryches. 1805 Southey Madoc in W. iv. Wks. V. 35 They saw..our food belike to fail. |