likely
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++like·ly1 /ˈlaɪkli/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective (comparative likelier, superlative likeliest) 1 PROBABLYsomething that is likely will probably happen or is probably true 可能的；可能发生的；可能是真的 OPP unlikely Snow showers are likely tomorrow. 明天可能有阵雪。likely outcome/effects/consequences etc What are the likely effects of the law going to be? 这条法规可能会产生什么样的影响？ the most likely cause of the problem 造成这个问题最有可能的原因likely to do/be something Children who live in the country’s rural areas are very likely to be poor. 住在该国乡村地区的孩子大多很贫穷。more/less/most/least likely Young drivers are far more likely to have accidents than older drivers. 年轻司机发生车祸的可能性要远远大于年长的司机。 It is more than likely (=almost certain) the votes will have to be counted again. 选票很有可能要重新点算。 It could have been an accident, but that was hardly likely (=not very likely). 这有可能是意外事故，但可能性不大。 He could offer no likely explanation when I asked him. 我问他的时候，他不能给出一个合理的解释。2 [only before noun]PROBABLY suitable for a particular purpose 合适的，恰当的 the three most likely candidates for president 最有可能当选的三位总统候选人 One likely source of energy is wind power. 有一种合适的能源就是风能。3. a likely story spokenBELIEVE used to tell someone you do not believe what they have just said 说得像真的似的〔告诉某人你不相信他刚才说的话〕n COLLOCATIONSadverbsvery/highly/extremely likelyIt did not seem very likely that he was still alive.more/most likelyAt this age, boys were more likely than girls to be active in sports.quite likely British English (=very likely)As parents, if we expect bad behaviour we are quite likely to get it.less/least likelyThe smallest puppies are the least likely to survive.hardly likely (=not very likely)It seems hardly likely that she would tell her husband about it.more than likely (=very likely)She'll be late, more than likely.increasingly likelyThe project looked increasingly likely to fail.verbsseem/appear/look likelyWhich candidate seems likely to win?nounsa likely explanationWhat is the most likely explanation for the way she acted?a likely result/outcomethe most likely outcome of the electiona likely effect/consequenceConsider the options open to you, and their likely consequences.the likely impact (=the likely effect or influence of something)What is the likely impact of the new factory on the local environment?a likely cause/reasonthe likely cause of the accidentExamples from the Corpus
likely• A peace settlement now seems likely.• But if the past points the way to the future, then a healthy and prosperous adulthood seems more than likely.• a list of likely candidates• Showers and thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon.• The most likely result is a win for the Democrats.• It is likely that the girl knew her killer.• More experiments on more lymphoma-bearing mice followed, and the doses likely to achieve the best effect were assessed with great care.• But they are likely to be of greater strategic than employment significance, and there will be losses.• At least some of the extra cost of stockholding is likely to be passed on to the caterer.• The jury is very likely to believe he was in the apartment at the time of the crime.• Regular travellers committed to such programmes are likely to choose hotels providing appropriate health and fitness facilities.• The price of petrol is likely to rise again this year.likely outcome/effects/consequences etc• Five out of six opinion polls yesterday showed Labour in the lead, pointing to a hung Parliament as the most likely outcome.• In this way, individual operations can be shaped to be realistic rather than at odds with the likely outcome.• The process leading up to this and its likely consequences for teaching are discussed in detail in the article by Walsh.• Higher education was reinforcing likely outcomes instead of altering them.• Here she is assessing the likely outcome of a confrontation with her local council.• It is most important that the patient considers the likely consequences of different ways of trying to achieve goals.• In addition, such strategies presume that decision makers understand the likely effects of technology development on a local economy.• The most likely outcome will be that Rep.likely candidates• Check and triple check the likely candidates.• Stirling continued to trawl among acquaintances and friends for likely candidates.• Thames, North West and Severn Trent are the most likely candidates.• For several reasons the first and last of these are the most likely candidates and each has its proponents.• Film stars, such as Marilyn Monroe, are likely candidates, and the pressure of such a role can create unbearable conflict.• Theoretically, bats could do the same thing, but dolphins seem more likely candidates because they are in general more social.• Three likely candidates for study are the comets Enke, Tempel 2 and Honday-Mrkos-Pajdusakova.• The police kept up their enquiries and one or two likely candidates rose to the surface, but nothing was clearly actionable.likely2 ●●○ adverb 1 PROBABLYprobably 大概，很可能most/very likely I’d very likely have done the same thing in your situation. 我要是处在你这种情况，也很有可能会那样做的。(as) likely as not spoken (=very probably) 很可能 As likely as not, the meeting will take place in the village pub. 会议很有可能就在村子的酒馆里开。2 not likely! spoken especially British EnglishNO used to disagree strongly, or to say that something will not happen 才不呢！ 不可能！〔表示强烈反对或断言某事不会发生〕 ‘He said you’d be giving them a lift.’ ‘Not likely!’ “他说你会让他们搭便车。”“才不呢！”Examples from the Corpus
likely• Firms that lack the time or resources to develop their own screening procedures will likely turn to personnel firms.• Five points, which equates to 14 wins, likely will be enough for the conference title. 1.most/very likely• With the United States running a current account deficit of staggering dimensions, the most likely candidate is not hard to spot.• Mixed in with most of the words in Englishand very likely every other language-is some taint of liking or disliking.• I'd most likely have done the same thing in your situation.• If you are having problems with your asthma, it most likely means that you are not on an appropriate treatment plan.• The party's most likely recourse is a face-saving compromise with the Ministry of Finance that does not alter the statusquo.• So it's very likely she told you a few fibs.• It is most likely they are all linked.• This is most likely to happen where the wife has not worked outside the home.• In practice the most likely victim of insider dealing is the market maker with whom the insider trades.Origin likely1 (1300-1400) Old Norse glikligr, from glikr “like”like·ly1 adjective →n COLLOCATIONS1likely2 adverbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
is Corpus something happen or likely will probably is that
likely
like‧ly1 S1 W1 /ˈlaɪkli/ 
adjective (comparative likelier, superlative likeliest)
OPP unlikely:
Snow showers are likely tomorrow.
likely outcome/effects/consequences etc
What are the likely effects of the law going to be?
the most likely cause of the problem
likely to do/be something
Children who live in the country’s rural areas are very likely to be poor.
more/less/most/least likely
Young drivers are far more likely to have accidents than older drivers.
It is more than likely (=almost certain) the votes will have to be counted again.
It could have been an accident, but that was hardly likely (=not very likely).
He could offer no likely explanation when I asked him.
2. [only before noun] suitable for a particular purpose:
the three most likely candidates for president
One likely source of energy is wind power.
3. a likely story spoken used to tell someone you do not believe what they have just said
■ adverbs
▪very/highly/extremely likely It did not seem very likely that he was still alive.
▪more/most likely At this age, boys were more likely than girls to be active in sports.
▪quite likely British English (=very likely) As parents, if we expect bad behaviour we are quite likely to get it.
▪less/least likely The smallest puppies are the least likely to survive.
▪hardly likely (=not very likely) It seems hardly likely that she would tell her husband about it.
▪more than likely (=very likely) She'll be late, more than likely.
▪increasingly likely The project looked increasingly likely to fail.
■ verbs
▪seem/appear/look likely Which candidate seems likely to win?
■ nouns
▪a likely explanation What is the most likely explanation for the way she acted?
▪a likely result/outcome the most likely outcome of the election
▪a likely effect/consequence Consider the options open to you, and their likely consequences.
▪the likely impact (=the likely effect or influence of something) What is the likely impact of the new factory on the local environment?
▪a likely cause/reason the likely cause of the accident
likely2 adverb1. probably
most/very likely
I’d very likely have done the same thing in your situation.
(as) likely as not spoken (=very probably)
As likely as not, the meeting will take place in the village pub.
2. not likely! spoken especially British English used to disagree strongly, or to say that something will not happen:
‘He said you’d be giving them a lift.’ ‘Not likely!’
▪ probably adverb used when saying that you think something is true or will happen, although it is not completely definite: He’s probably gone home. | Rod is probably going to study law. | ‘Is she lying?’ ‘Probably.’
▪likely adjective probably going to happen or probably true: The most likely result is a win for the Democrats. | The price of petrol is likely to rise again this year. | It is likely that we’ll lose.
▪it looks as if/it looks like used when saying that the present situation makes you think that something will probably happen or is probably true: It looks like Greg has been delayed. | There aren’t any taxis, so it looks as if we’ll have to walk.
▪may/could/might well used when saying that you think something will probably happen or is probably true: He may well come back. | Take an umbrella. It might well rain later on. | It may well be his last game.
▪I would/should think spoken (also I would guess spoken) used when saying that you think something will probably happen or is probably true, although you are not sure: ‘Will the match still go ahead?' ’Yes, I would think so.’ | I should think she’s about 24 or 25.
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adjective (comparative likelier, superlative likeliest) Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old Norse
Origin: glikligr, from glikr 'like'
1. something that is likely will probably happen or is probably true Language: Old Norse
Origin: glikligr, from glikr 'like'
OPP unlikely:
likely outcome/effects/consequences etc
likely to do/be something
more/less/most/least likely
2. [only before noun] suitable for a particular purpose:
3. a likely story spoken used to tell someone you do not believe what they have just said
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adverb1. probablymost/very likely
(as) likely as not spoken (=very probably)
2. not likely! spoken especially British English used to disagree strongly, or to say that something will not happen:
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◆ It's pretty much inevitable that prices will go up this year.今年价格上涨几乎是不可避免的了。 ◆ I think it's likely to rain this afternoon.我觉得今天下午有可能下雨。 ◆ I'm probably going to be away then.到那时候我可能就要离开了。 ◆ I guess there's a fifty per cent chance that they'll say no.我估计他们不同意的几率有百分之五十。 ◆ It's unlikely, but not totally impossible, I suppose. 我想这不大可能，但并非完全没有可能。 ◆ They can't possibly/really be serious about buying a boat!他们不可能真要买一条船吧！ ◆ Let's start without them. They're bound to be late.咱们不等他们了，先开始吧。他们肯定会迟到。
Discussing predictions 谈论预测
◆ The number of people using mobile phones to purchase goods and services is expected /likely to more than double by the end of 2015.到 2015 年年底，使用手机购买商品和服务的人数预计／可能会是现在的两倍多。 ◆ Experts have predicted /forecast that the number of people using their mobile phones to pay for goods and services should exceed 190 million in 2015.专家已经预言，到 2015 年使用手机支付商品和服务费用的人数将超过 1.9 亿。 ◆ This figure is set to reach 200 million by 2016.到 2016 年这个数字可能会达到 2 亿。 ◆ By 2015, 800 million mobile phone users worldwidewill be participating in social networks via their phone.到 2015 年，全球将有 8 亿手机用户通过手机参与社交网络。 ◆ Sales of mobile phones in 2009 were lower than expected .* 2009 年的手机销量低于预期。 ◆ The company's announcement of 1.26 billion handsets sold for the year is in line with predictions .公司宣布本年度手机销量为 12.6 亿部，符合预期。
In standard BrE likely is often used with a word such asmost ,more orvery .在标准的英式英语中，副词 likely 常与 most、more 或 very 等词连用 ：◆ We will most likely see him later. 我们很可能晚些时候会见到他。 In journalism and less formal language, however, likely is used on its own.但在新闻和不太正式的用语中，likely 则单独使用 ：◆ The deal will likely result in more cuts to services. 这项协议可能会导致对服务行业的进一步削减。 In informal NAmE likely is often used on its own, and this is not considered incorrect.在非正式的美式英语中，likely 常单独使用，且不被视为有误 ：◆ We will likely see him later. 我们可能晚些时候会见到他。 ◆ He said that he would likely run for President. 他说他可能竞选总统。
especially