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Likely
Definitions
- 1 Probable; having a greater-than-even chance of occurring.
"Rain is likely later this afternoon."
- 2 Reasonably to be expected; apparently destined, probable. infinitive, with-to
"Do you think there's likely to be snow?"
- 3 Appropriate, suitable; believable; promising, having a good potential.
"Jones is a likely candidate for management."
- 4 Plausible; within the realm of credibility.
"not a very likely excuse."
- 5 Leading with high probability to some specified outcome.
"a likely recipe for disaster."
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- 6 Attractive; pleasant. archaic
"I found a likely spot under a shady tree for the picnic."
- 7 Similar; like; alike. obsolete
"For love is a celestiall harmonie Of likely harts composed of starres concent"
- 1 within the realm of credibility wordnet
- 2 has a good chance of being the case or of coming about wordnet
- 3 expected to become or be; in prospect wordnet
- 1 Probably. US
"Likely he’ll win the election in this economy."
- 2 Similarly. US, obsolete
- 1 with considerable certainty; without much doubt wordnet
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A census-designated place in Modoc County, California, United States. countable, uncountable
- 1 Something or somebody considered likely.
Etymology
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċ (“suitable”) and Old Norse líkligr (“likely”) (probably independent formations), equivalent to like + -ly (adjectival suffix).
From Middle English likely, likly, lykly, likliche, from Old English ġelīclīċe (“equally”) and Old Norse líkliga, glíkliga (“likely”), both from Proto-Germanic *līkalīka, equivalent to like + -ly (adverbial suffix).
See also for "likely"
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Unscramble this word: likely