Definition of "liken"
liken
verb
third-person singular simple present likens, present participle likening, simple past and past participle likened
(transitive)
Followed by to or (archaic) unto: to regard or state that (someone or something) is like another person or thing; to compare.
Quotations
And vvell may the preacher and plovvman be likened together: Firſt, for their labour in all ſeaſons of the year; for there is no time of the year in vvhich the ploughman hath not ſome ſpecial vvork to do. […] And then they alſo may be likened together for the diverſity of vvorks, and variety of offices that they have to do.The spelling has been modernized.
1548 January 28 (Gregorian calendar), Hugh Latimer, “Sermon IV. By the Reverend Father in Christ Master Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester. Preached in the Shrouds at Paul’s Church in London the 18th Day of January, in the Year 1548.”, in The Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God, Master Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester. […], volume I, London: […] J. Scott, […], published 1758, pages 41–42
In this ſaing S. Auguſtin likeneth the ſacramentes of the olde lavve in reſpect of the ſacramentes of the nevve lavve vnto childrens games, and our ſacramentes he likeneth to the thinges of more profett, vvhich are to be geuen to the ſonnes of God, vvhen they vvaxe of more age, knovvledge, and ripeneſſe.
1566, Thomas Heskyns, “Proving All Our Sacramentes Generallie to be More Excellent then the Sacramentes of Moyses”, in The Parliament of Chryste Auouching and Declaring the Enacted and Receaued Trueth of the Presence of His Bodie and Bloode in the Blessed Sacrament, […], Antwerp: […] William Silvius […], folio cclxxii, verso
Me thinkes therefore, that of all of the Græcian Captaines I can liken none ſo vvell vnto him, as Eumenes the Cardian.
1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “The Life of Sertorius”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, page 626
[T]he Prince broke thy head for lik'ning him to a ſinging man of VVindſor; […]
c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i], page 79, column 2
He merited not the Abaſement; vve vvere vvorthy the Damnation. Ah, ah my good Sauiour! A Nethermoſt depth cannot ſincke me lovv enough, ſince thou ſtoop'ſt to a Footſtoole. Thou likenedſt thee to me, I vvill compare me to Nothing: […]
, Iohn Gaule [i.e., John Gaule], Practique Theories: Or, Votiue Speculations, vpon Iesus Christs Prediction. Incarnation. Passion. Resurrection. […], London: […] [Thomas Cotes] for Iames Bowler, page 141
You vvill then be every one's favourite: and every good ſervant, for the future, vvill be proud to be liken'd to honeſt Joſeph Leman.
1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter II. Mr. Lovelace, to Joseph Leman.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], page 26
That our VVork, therefore, might be in no Danger of being likened to the Labours of theſe Hiſtorians, vve have taken every Occaſion of interſperſing through the vvhole ſundry Similes, Deſcriptions, and other kind of poetical Embelliſhments.
1749, Henry Fielding, “Containing Five Pages of Paper”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], book IV, pages 2–3
Why dost thou turn so pale? Not Conscience' self, / Far less a shadow which thou likenest to it, / Should shake the firm spirit thus.
1835 (date written; published 1835 December – 1836 January), Edgar Allan Poe, “Scenes from ‘Politian;’ an Unpublished Drama”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, Act IV, page 69
And the tufted isles which thou likenedst to the isles that rise from the face of some still gleaming lake—these are the peaks of the northern hills and the tops of the mountain ranges of the north, standing above the suspended steam of their host.
1880, Standish [James] O’Grady, “Descent of the Red Branch”, in History of Ireland: Cuculain and His Contemporaries, volume II, London: Sampson Low, Searle, Marston, & Rivington, […]; Dublin: E. Ponsonby, […], page 192
Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."
2013 June 18, Chico Harlan, “After Fukushima, Japan beginning to see the light in solar energy”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, volume 189, number 2, London: Guardian News & Media, archived from the original on 2022-10-15, page 30