like, noun, /laɪk/

1 somebody’s likes and dislikes

the things that someone likes and does not like.

We all have our own likes and dislikes when it comes to food.

2 and the like/and such like

and similar things. and others of a similar kind : and so forth.

Soldiers, policemen, and the like were all called in to help with the emergency.

They believe that the government does not spend enough money on health, education, and such like.

They told stories about ghosts and vampires and the like.

3 the likes of somebody/something (spoken)

a) used to talk about someone you do not like or do not approve of. DISAPPROVING : such a person as.

I don’t want you spending time with the likes of him.

We have no use for the likes of you.

b) used to talk about people of a particular type. such people as.

Information is collected through the likes of the FBI, CIA, and Scotland Yard.

She has read the complete works of many great writers, including the likes of Jane Austen and Robert Browning.

4 the like of somebody/something (also somebody’s/something’s like)

something similar to someone or a particular person or thing, or of equal importance or value.

a person or thing that is similar to another person or thing.

a group of similar people or things. the kind or sort of.

This will be a show the like of which has never been seen before.

The man was a genius. We shall not see his like again.

We may never see his like again. [=we may never see another person who is like him again]

It was a beautiful sunset. I've never seen the like before.

He and his like [=type] tend to scare people away from the cause.

comparing like with like [=comparing similar people or things]

It was a beautiful sunset, the likes of which I've never seen before. [=I've never seen such a beautiful sunset before]