Forms: α. 1–2 ʓelíc, 2–4 ilich(e, 5 yleche. β. 4–5 alyche (5 aleche, 6 aleeche). γ. 2–5 ilik(e, 5 illike, ilyke, ylyke, ylike. δ. 5–6 alyke, 6– alike. [Here, as in ALIKE adv., two, if not three, earlier words seem blended: 1. OE. ʓelíc (OS. gelîc, gilîc, OFris. gelîk, OHG. ge-, gi-, ga-lîh, mod.G. gleich, Goth. galeiks, ON. glîkr), f. ge-:—ga- together + líc LIKE; 2. ON. álíkr (cogn. w. OE. anlíc, onlíc, Goth. analeiks, OHG. ana(ga)lîh, MHG. anelîch), f. á prep. on, unto, to + lík like; 3. The OE. anlíc itself survived to 14th c., and would naturally also give alike, alich, as its later form; see ANLIKE. The mod. alike seems mainly due to the ON., the 15th c. repr. of OE. ʓelíc being ilich; but the example of AFFORD, and the a- for ʓe- in s. w. dial., show that ʓelíc might have given alike independently.]
Like one another, similar, of identical form or character. (Now almost always predicatively; and of, or referring to, things in the plural.)
α. c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxii. 39. Ðe æftera ʓelic is ðisum.
c. 1000. Ags. G., ibid. Oðyr ys þysum ʓelic.
c. 1160. Hatton G., ibid. Oðer is þan ʓelic.
c. 1175. Pater N., 38, in Lamb. Hom., 57. And þis oðer … þis is ilich.
c. 1260. Signs bef. Judgm., in E. E. P., 10. Al we sul ben ilich.
1340. Ayenb., 196. Þe poure þet is ilich þe.
c. 1400. Beryn, 736. Noon to hym I-lich of worship, ne of wele.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 100. Thre wax candels … Every candel y leche of weyȝt.
β. c. 1385. Chaucer, Leg. G. Wom., 389. Al be that here stat be nat a-lyche [v.r. yliche–5].
γ. c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 151. Under houene ne nan is ilike.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 502. Þer was no kniȝt hym ilik.
1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. xvii. 9. Than ben the daies & the nyhtes illike of lenghthe.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxvi. (1483), 71. Tho two that ben y lyke.
δ. c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Alyke or euynlyke, Equalis. Alyke or lyke yn lykenes, Similis.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. i. 56. Male, twins, both alike.
1756. Burke, Vind. Nat. Soc., Wks. I. 43. High, low, men, women, clergy, and laity, are all alike.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 87. They are become so much alike, you can scarce distinguish one shilling from another.
1812. Combe (Dr. Syntax), Picturesque, VIII. 29. Alike the laurel to the truly brave; That binds the brow or consecrates the grave.
1837. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (ed. 3), I. xvii. 255. They begin to think all religions alike.
† (Formerly in various other const.) Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Wisd. xi. 11. Whether they were absent or present, their punyshment was alyke.
1615. T. Adams, Spirit. Nav., 20. You see the alike distastefulness of the world and sea.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 46. It is a like to have no minister at all, as to have an idol in the place of a true minister.
1637. Earl Monm., trans. Malvezzi’s Romulus & Tarquin, 12. Children, for the most part, side with the belly, and their change is easie, where are alike qualities.
1640. Fuller, Joseph’s Coat, vii. (1867), 181. Moses … made it in all things alike to the pattern he saw in the mount.
1653. Ashwell, Fides Apost., 102. The Romane-Catholik, who with alike loudnes and lying proclaimes to the world, etc.
1658. J. R., Mouffet’s Theat. Ins., 944. This of the male kinde. The female is almost alike, but somewhat more black.
1680. W. Allen, Persw. Peace, 83. To consist of somewhat alike mixture as that of the Jews of old did.
1748. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. iii. § 2 ¶ 87. Where the Instances are alike … to that under Consideration.
