> as lemmas

1565 T. Stapleton Disc. Doctrine Protestants in tr. F. Staphylus Apol. f. 205 Againe is eating your bread and drinking your wine, a remembraunce of Christ his deathe and passion? A likely matter truly. You are wonte to crie on scripture, and allow no doctrine withoute it.

1627 J. Rogers Doctr. Faith 143 A likely matter, that from such low abasement I should be advanced to such honour, from hell to heaven.

1675 E. Stillingfleet Answer Mr. Cressy's Epist. iv. 270 A very likely story for so grave a Saint! I do not quarrel with it on the account of the custom of selling English slaves, but for the..silliness of it.

1705 S. Centlivre Gamester 43 Hec. He'll lay himself at your Feet, with full resolution never to touch Box or Dice more. Ang. A likely matter, truly.

1748 T. Smolett Roderick Random I. xxx. 274 A very likely story! (cried Mackshane) what occasion was there for using Greek characters, if you were not afraid of discovering what you had wrote?

1844 Hood's Mag. 2 610 ‘A likely story!’ mumbled Mr. Hix, in a tone between publishing and smothering the remark.

1858 Harper's Mag. Oct. 660/2 How did he bring his letters, then, let alone stopping to have them written. That's a likely story to begin with.

1905 J. B. Naylor Kentuckian viii. 188 ‘Yes, that's a likely tale!’ ‘Nevertheless, it's true,’ Ruth stoutly maintained.

1942 E. Welty Robber Bridegroom ii. 53 ‘I dropped my skirt to the ground and all the herbs fell out, and that is why I did not bring them home.’ ‘A likely excuse!’ said Salome.

1977 H. O'Hagan Woman who got on at Jasper Station 30 Red Pass was two days' journey distant. When he arrived, he would have a likely tale to tell the boys in the beer parlour.

2007 Guardian (Nexis) 16 Aug. 9 He claims that it is all in the interests of research and he is actually working on something very deep about social capital. A likely story.