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# liken

«liken» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **like another; to compare them** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (liken, likens, likened, likening)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To say that one thing is like another; to compare them. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#m1)

2) Used with «to»: «liken A to B» means say A is similar to B. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: It means to compare one thing to another. Isaiah asks to whom people can compare God. Interpretation: Isaiah's question is read as teaching that God is like nothing else and cannot be pictured, which is why idols are foolish. In the primary lessons: In English lessons about figurative language, writers liken things to other things (similes and metaphors): a poet likens the moon to a silver coin. In history and science, people liken the heart to a pump or the brain to a computer. Phrases: liken something to something, often likened to.

### examples

- To whom then will ye liken God? (Prophets ISA.40.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x1)
- What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? (Writings LAM.2.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x2)
- To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Holy One. (Prophets ISA.40.25, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x3)
- The poet likens the sea to a hungry dog. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x4)
- Scientists liken the heart to a pump. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x5)
- Many people liken the city to a giant ant nest. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x6)
- He was often likened to his famous grandfather. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x7)
- Our teacher likened the brain to a busy library. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x8)
- The story likens growing up to climbing a mountain. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x9)
- I wouldn't liken a cat to a dog; they are so different. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/#x10)

### note

Regular verb: likened, likening. Always «liken X to Y», not «with». A bit formal; in speech say «compare to» or «say it's like». Do not confuse with «like» (enjoy) or «likely».

### In the corpora

- [To whom then will ye liken God?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.854/)
- [To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Holy One.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.864/)
- [To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.1034/)
- [For who in the skies can be compared unto the LORD, who among the sons of might can be likened unto the LORD,](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.1567/)
- [What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/LAM.40/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «liken» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/L/liken/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.