- as like as not
- phrasal
or like as not
like as not, her estimate won't be very good — S.L.Payne
* * *
as like as not (or like as not): ↑probablyLike as not the crime will never be solved.
usageLike has many uses in informal speech, especially in the speech of young people. It is commonly used to emphasize a word or phrase.He was, like, gorgeous.
(chiefly Brit) He was gorgeous, like.
It is used in a way that shows you are not sure or confident about what you are saying.I need to, like, borrow money.
Her father is, like, a scientist or something.
I think it costs, like, 20 dollars.
In very informal speech in U.S. English, it is used with the verb be to say what someone thinks, says, etc.She was telling me what to do and I was like [=I was thinking], “Mind your own business.”
She was like, “Are you sure you want to do this?” and I was like “Yeah, why not?” [=she said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” and I said, “Yeah, why not?”]
He's always criticizing everyone but it's like, “Who cares what he thinks?” [=he's always criticizing everyone but no one cares what he thinks]
• • •Main Entry: ↑like————————as like as not (or like as not) — see ↑like, 6• • •Main Entry: ↑not
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
