What does "likely" mean?
Likely: Having probability; having or giving reason to expect; -- followed by the infinitive; as, it is likely to rain.
Additional senses
- 2.Similar; like; alike. [Obs.] Spenser.
- 3.Such as suits; good-looking; pleasing; agreeable; handsome. Shak. Milton.
- 4.Having such qualities as make success probable; well adapted to the place; promising; as, a likely young man; a likely servant.
- 5.In all probability; probably. While man was innocent he was likely ignorant of nothing that imported him to know. Glanvill.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00