likely

记忆“likely”的方法是将其与“like”以及“i”联系，形成一个形象的场景或故事。可以这样记忆：

想象你有一只像（like）猫咪的宠物（i），这只宠物总是在预测未来，看起来很聪明。因此，它的行为被描述为“likely”，即它很可能做出某种行为或事情发生。这样通过联想，你就能够记住“likely”的含义是“很可能的”。

likely 可能的

like,相似，-ly,形容词后缀，来自like.

likely (adj.)

c. 1300, perhaps from Old Norse likligr "likely," from likr "like" (see like (adj.)). Old English had cognate geliclic. Meaning "having the appearance of being strong and capable" is from mid-15c., though now mostly confined to American English; according to OED this sense is perhaps influenced by like (v.). Sense of "good-looking" is from late 15c. Meaning "probably" is attested from late 14c., now principally in American English.

LIKELY. That may be liked; that may please; handsome. In the United States, as a colloquial term, respectable; worthy of esteem; sensible.--Worcester. [Bartlett]

As an adverb, late 14c., from the adjective.

1. Very likely he'd told them he had American business interests.

很可能他已经告诉他们自己拥有美国商业利益.

2. We aimed the microscope at a likely looking target.

我们把显微镜对准了一个看起来合适的目标。

3. The fires are likely to permanently deforest the land.

这些火灾很可能会彻底毁掉这片土地上的森林。

4. These feelings are likely to make people attempt to overthrow the system.

这些情绪有可能促使人们想要推翻现行的体制。

5. They're likely to hold big fire sales to liquidate their inventory.

他们可能会举行清仓大甩卖。

【possible, probable, likely】
possible: 强调客观上可能性，但常带有“实际可能性很小”的暗示。如：It’s possible, though not probable, that he will accept these terms. (他有可能接受这些条件，但希望很小。)
probable: 很可能的，大概的，语气较possible强。如：It is probable that the cost will be greater than we think.(花费很可能比我们料想的要多。)
likely: 暗示从表面迹象来判断“有可能的”。如：It is likely that he will come.(他多半会来。)

【apt, subject, liable, likely, prone】
这组词都有“倾向于……的；易于……的”的意思，其区别是：
apt: 口语中常用，指自然的或习惯的倾向，无特殊的褒贬意味，常指在一般情况下发生的事。
subject: 指确实可以察觉的倾向，也就是总结出来的规律。
liable: 指易于产生某种不利的结果，侧重偶然性，常表示警告或提醒。
likely: 侧重可能性，用于指将来，预言希望或所不希望的结果。
prone: 多用于人，着重其本性，或倾向于某种错误、弱点或不良行为等。