"looked anything like" as hyponegation

[Laurence Horn]

On yesterday's local (WTNH) TV sports wrap-up, referring to Friday night's basketball game, in which the New York Knicks (all but guaranteed of a playoff spot) were crushed by the usually hapless Cleveland Cavaliers:  "Last night the Knicks looked anything LIKE a playoff team".  This can plausibly be seen as a blend of "looked like anything but" and "looked nothing like", both with the relevant meaning of 'did not even come close to resembling'.  Other hits on google of this construction with the same apparent meaning:

Back on Sept. 19 the Chargers looked anything like a playoff team when they lost 34-28 to the Jets.  [from a Jan. 2005 AP article describing the playoff-bound San Diego Chargers]

The Giants looked anything like a playoff contender on Monday. [from a Dec 1, 2011 syndicated story about the Giants' "49-24 beatdown in New Orleans", two months before the Giants recovered to make the playoffs and indeed win the Super Bowl]

One of the Fusion's goals this season was to clinch a playoff spot as early as possible. Now the goal is to make the playoffs. Recently, the Fusion has looked anything like a playoff contender. It has lost four straight and hasn't scored a goal in 247 minutes.  [on the now defunct Miami Fusion MLS team, which played in Fort Lauderdale]

The [Ottawa] 67's, who should have been the tired team, looked anything like a team that was playing its fourth game in eight days.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony looked anything like a couple in the midst of a divorce as they promoted their new show, Q'Viva! The Chosen.
[This one is from RadarOnline.com, from last January, in a piece at http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/01/jennifer-lopez-marc-anthony-hold-hands-promote-new-show-q-viva-photos that also burbles about how "the former couple did a suburb job in hiding what's really going on with them".  Seems like it was more of an exurb job.]

LH

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