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8 dictionary results for: compare
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
com·pare 
[kuhm-pair] Pronunciation Key verb, -pared, -par·ing, noun
—Related forms
[kuhm-pair] Pronunciation Key verb, -pared, -par·ing, noun –verb (used with object)
–verb (used without object)
–noun
—Idiom
| 1. | to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities and differences: to compare two pieces of cloth; to compare the governments of two nations. |
| 2. | to consider or describe as similar; liken: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? |
| 3. | Grammar. to form or display the degrees of comparison of (an adjective or adverb). |
| 4. | to be worthy of comparison; be held equal: Dekker's plays cannot compare with Shakespeare's. |
| 5. | to appear in a similar standing: His recital certainly compares with the one he gave last year. |
| 6. | to differ in quality or accomplishment as specified: Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations. |
| 7. | to vie; rival. |
| 8. | to make a comparison: The only way we can say which product is better is to compare. |
| 9. | comparison: Her beauty is beyond compare. |
| 10. | compare notes. note (def. 32). |
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME comparen < L comparāre to place together, match, v. deriv. of compar alike, matching (see com-, par); r. ME comperen < OF comperer < L]
] —Related forms
com·par·er, noun
—Usage note The traditional rule about which preposition to use after compare states that compare should be followed by to when it points out likenesses or similarities between two apparently dissimilar persons or things: She compared his handwriting to knotted string. Compare should be followed by with, the rule says, when it points out similarities or differences between two entities of the same general class: The critic compared the paintings in the exhibit with magazine photographs. This rule is by no means always observed, however, even in formal speech and writing. The usual practice is to employ to for likenesses between members of different classes: A language may be compared to a living organism. But when the comparison is between members of the same category, both to and with are used: The article compares the Chicago of today with (or to) the Chicago of the 1890s. Following the past participle compared, either to or with is used regardless of whether differences or similarities are stressed or whether the things compared belong to the same or different classes: Compared with (or to) the streets of 18th-century London, New York's streets are models of cleanliness and order.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| com·pare
(kəm-pâr') Pronunciation Key
v. com·pared, com·par·ing, com·pares v. tr.
v. intr.
n. Comparison: a musician beyond compare. [Middle English comparen, from Old French comparer, from Latin comparāre, from compār, equal : com-, com- + pār, equal; see perə-2 in Indo-European roots.] com·par'er n. Usage Note: Compare usually takes the preposition to when it refers to the activity of describing the resemblances between unlike things: He compared her to a summer day. Scientists sometimes compare the human brain to a computer. It takes with when it refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarities or differences: The police compared the forged signature with the original. The committee will have to compare the Senate's version of the bill with the version that was passed by the House. When compare is used to mean "to liken (one) with another," with is traditionally held to be the correct preposition: That little bauble is not to be compared with (not to) this enormous jewel. But to is frequently used in this context and is not incorrect. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| compare | |
noun | |
| 1. | qualities that are comparable; "no comparison between the two books"; "beyond compare" [syn: comparison] |
verb | |
| 1. | examine and note the similarities or differences of; "John compared his haircut to his friend's"; "We compared notes after we had both seen the movie" |
| 2. | be comparable; "This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes" |
| 3. | consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous; "We can compare the Han dynasty to the Romans"; "You cannot equate success in financial matters with greed" |
| 4. | to form the comparative or superlative form on an adjective or adverb |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This
compare
In addition to the idiom beginning with compare, also see beyond compare.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Compare
Com*pare"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Compared; p. pr. & vb. n. Comparing.] [L. comparare, fr. compar like or equal to another; com- + par equal: cf. F. comparer. See Pair, Peer an equal, and cf. Compeer.]1. To examine the character or qualities of, as of two or more persons or things, for the purpose of discovering their resemblances or differences; to bring into comparison; to regard with discriminating attention. Compare dead happiness with living woe. --Shak. The place he found beyond expression bright, Compared with aught on earth. --Milton. Compare our faces and be judge yourself. --Shak. To compare great things with small. --Milton. 2. To represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration; to liken. Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counselors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did not trouble it. --Bacon. 3. (Gram.) To inflect according to the degrees of comparison; to state positive, comparative, and superlative forms of; as, most adjectives of one syllable are compared by affixing "- er" and "-est" to the positive form; as, black, blacker, blackest; those of more than one syllable are usually compared by prefixing "more" and "most", or "less" and "least", to the positive; as, beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful. Syn: To Compare, Compare with, Compare to. Usage: Things are compared with each other in order to learn their relative value or excellence. Thus we compare Cicero with Demosthenes, for the sake of deciding which was the greater orator. One thing is compared to another because of a real or fanciful likeness or similarity which exists between them. Thus it has been common to compare the eloquence of Demosthenes to a thunderbolt, on account of its force, and the eloquence of Cicero to a conflagration, on account of its splendor. Burke compares the parks of London to the lungs of the human body.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Compare
Com*pare"\, v. i. 1. To be like or equal; to admit, or be worthy of, comparison; as, his later work does not compare with his earlier. I should compare with him in excellence. --Shak. 2. To vie; to assume a likeness or equality. Shall pack horses . . . compare with C[ae]sars? --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Compare
Com*pare"\, n. 1. Comparison. [Archaic] His mighty champion, strong beyond compare. --Milton. Their small galleys may not hold compare With our tall ships. --Waller. 2. Illustration by comparison; simile. [Obs.] Rhymes full of protest, of oath, and big compare. --Shak. Beyond compare. See Beyond comparison, under Comparison.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Compare
Com*pare"\, v. t. [L. comparare to prepare, procure; com- + parare. See Prepare, Parade.] To get; to procure; to obtain; to acquire [Obs.] To fill his bags, and richesse to compare. --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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