compare
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compare
to liken; relate; examine similarities: compare the shades of blue
Not to be confused with:
contrast – to examine differences; a striking exhibition of unlikeness: The contrast of styles intensified the impact of the paintings.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
com·pare
(kəm-pâr′)v. com·pared, com·par·ing, com·pares
v.tr.
1. To consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous; liken: Is it right to compare the human brain to a computer?
2. To examine in order to note the similarities or differences of: We compared the two products for quality and cost. The article compares the recent recession with the one in the early 1990s.
3. Grammar To form the positive, comparative, or superlative degree of (an adjective or adverb).
v.intr.
1. To be worthy of comparison; bear comparison: two concert halls that just do not compare.
2. To draw comparisons.
n.
Idiom: Comparison: a musician beyond compare.
compare notes
To exchange ideas, views, or opinions.
[Middle English comparen, from Old French comparer, from Latin comparāre, from compār, equal : com-, com- + pār, equal; see perə- in Indo-European roots.]
com·par′er n.
Usage Note: A common rule of usage holds that compare to and compare with are not interchangeable. To implies "in the direction of" or "toward a target," and so comparing Miriam to a summer's day means treating the summer's day as a standard or paragon and noting that Miriam, though a different kind of entity, is similar in some ways to it. With implies "together" or "side by side," and so comparing the Senate version of the bill with the House version means treating them symmetrically, as two examples of the same kind of entity, and noting both the similarities and the differences. It's a subtle distinction, and most writers accept both prepositions for both kinds of comparison, though with a preference that aligns with the traditional rule. The 2014 Usage Survey presented He compared the runner to a gazelle, where the items are in different categories and the first is likened to the second; the Panelists found to more acceptable than with by a large margin (95 percent to 55 percent). The margin of acceptability was slimmer for a sentence about assessing the similarities and differences between two comparable items: The police compared the forged signature with the original. The acceptability of with was only slightly greater than that of to (84 percent to 76 percent), and with might have been even more acceptable had the sentence been about two forged signatures.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
compare
(kəmˈpɛə)vb
1. (usually foll by: to) to regard or represent as analogous or similar; liken: the general has been compared to Napoleon.
2. (usually foll by: with) to examine in order to observe resemblances or differences: to compare rum with gin.
3. (usually foll by: with) to be of the same or similar quality or value: gin compares with rum in alcoholic content.
4. (intr) to bear a specified relation of quality or value when examined: this car compares badly with the other.
5. (usually foll by: with) to correspond to: profits were £3.2 million. This compares with £2.6 million last year.
6. (Grammar) (tr) grammar to give the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of (an adjective)
7. (intr) archaic to compete or vie
8. compare notes to exchange opinions
n
comparison or analogy (esp in the phrase beyond compare)
[C15: from Old French comparer, from Latin comparāre to couple together, match, from compar equal to one another, from com- together + par equal; see par]
comˈparer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
com•pare
(kəmˈpɛər)v. -pared, -par•ing,
n. v.t.
1. to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities and differences.
2. to consider or describe as similar; liken: “Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”
3. to form or display the degrees of comparison of (an adjective or adverb).
v.i. 4. to be worthy of comparison: Whose plays can compare with Shakespeare's?
5. to be in similar standing; be alike: This recital compares with the one he gave last year.
6. to appear in quality, progress, etc., as specified: Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations.
7. to make comparisons.
n. 8. comparison: a beauty beyond compare.
Idioms: compare notes, to exchange views, ideas, or impressions.
[1375–1425; late Middle English < Old French comperer < Latin comparāre to place together, match, v. derivative of compar alike, matching (see com-, par)]
com•par′er, n.
usage: A traditional rule states that compare should be followed by to when it points out likenesses between unlike persons or things: She compared his handwriting to knotted string. It should be followed by with, the rule says, when it examines two entities of the same general class for similarities or differences: She compared his handwriting with mine. This rule, though sensible, is not always followed, even in formal speech and writing. Common practice is to use to for likeness between members of different classes: to compare a language to a living organism. Between members of the same category, both to and with are used: Compare the Chicago of today with (or to) the Chicago of the 1890s. After the past participle compared, either to or with is used regardless of the type of comparison.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
compare
1. 'compare'
When you compare things, you consider how they are different and how they are similar.
It's interesting to compare the two products.
When compare has this meaning, you can use either with or to after it. For example, you can say 'It's interesting to compare this product with the old one' or 'It's interesting to compare this product to the old one'.
The study compared Russian children with those in Britain.
I haven't got anything to compare it to.
2. 'be compared to'
If one thing is compared to or can be compared to another thing, people say they are similar.
As a writer he is compared frequently to Dickens.
A computer virus can be compared to a biological virus.
When you use compare like this, you must use to after it. Don't use 'with'.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
compare
Past participle: compared
Gerund: comparing
| Imperative |
|---|
| compare |
| compare |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  compare - qualities that are comparable; "no comparison between the two books"; "beyond compare"alikeness, likeness, similitude - similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things; "man created God in his own likeness" |
| Verb | 1. | compare - 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" analyse, analyze, examine, study, canvass, canvas - consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning; "analyze a sonnet by Shakespeare"; "analyze the evidence in a criminal trial"; "analyze your real motives" collate - compare critically; of texts compare - be comparable; "This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes" |
| 2. | compare - be comparable; "This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes" compare - 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" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" go - be ranked or compare; "This violinist is as good as Juilliard-trained violinists go" | |
| 3. | compare - 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. | compare - to form the comparative or superlative form on an adjective or adverb inflect - change the form of a word in accordance as required by the grammatical rules of the language |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
compare
verb contrast, balance, weigh, set against, collate, juxtapose Compare the two illustrations in Fig 60.
compare to something liken to, parallel, identify with, equate to, correlate to, mention in the same breath as Commentators compared his work to that of James Joyce.
compare with something be as good as, match, approach, equal, compete with, come up to, vie, be on a par with, be the equal of, approximate to, hold a candle to, bear comparison, be in the same class as The flowers here do not compare with those at home.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
compare
verb3. To be equal or alike:
Informal: stack up.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
قارنيُشبّـهيُقَارِنُيُقارِنيُوازي، يُشَبِّه
porovnatpřirovnatrovnat sesrovnat s
sammenligneikke tåle sammenligningmåle sig med
verratavertailla
usporediti
felérhasonlíthatóösszehasonlít
bera samanlíkja/jafna viîstandast samanburî viî
比較する比べる
비교하다
lyginamasislyginimaslygintilygintinaslygintis
līdzinātiespielīdzinātsalīdzināt
primerjati
jämföra
เปรียบเทียบ
kıyaslamakbenzetmekkarşılaştırmakkıyas kabul etmek
so sánh
compare
[kəmˈpɛəʳ]A. VT
1. (gen) → comparar; (= put side by side) [+ texts] → cotejar
to compare sth/sb with or to sth/sb → comparar algo/a algn con or a algo/algn
Oxford is small compared with London → Oxford es pequeño en comparación a or comparado con Londres
as compared with → comparado con
to compare notes with sb → cambiar impresiones con algn
to compare sth/sb with or to sth/sb → comparar algo/a algn con or a algo/algn
Oxford is small compared with London → Oxford es pequeño en comparación a or comparado con Londres
as compared with → comparado con
to compare notes with sb → cambiar impresiones con algn
2. (Gram) → formar los grados de comparación de
B. VI she can't compare with you → no se la puede comparar contigo
it doesn't compare with yours → no se lo puede comparar al tuyo, no tiene comparación con el tuyo
how do they compare ? → ¿cuáles son sus cualidades respectivas?
how do they compare for speed? → ¿cuál tiene mayor velocidad?
how do the prices compare? → ¿qué tal son los precios en comparación?
it compares favourably with the other → no pierde por comparación con el otro, supera al otro
it compares poorly with the other → es inferior al otro
it doesn't compare with yours → no se lo puede comparar al tuyo, no tiene comparación con el tuyo
how do they compare ? → ¿cuáles son sus cualidades respectivas?
how do they compare for speed? → ¿cuál tiene mayor velocidad?
how do the prices compare? → ¿qué tal son los precios en comparación?
it compares favourably with the other → no pierde por comparación con el otro, supera al otro
it compares poorly with the other → es inferior al otro
C. N beyond compare (poet) → incomparable, sin comparación, sin par
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
compare
[kəmˈpɛər] vt
to compare sth/sb with sth/sb, to compare sth/sb to sth/sb → comparer qch/qn avec qch/qn
People always compare him with his brother → On le compare toujours à son frère.
compared with, compared to → par rapport à, en comparaison de
Oxford is small compared with London → Oxford est une petite ville par rapport à Londres., Oxford est une petite ville en comparaison de Londres.
to compare sth/sb with sth/sb, to compare sth/sb to sth/sb → comparer qch/qn avec qch/qn
People always compare him with his brother → On le compare toujours à son frère.
compared with, compared to → par rapport à, en comparaison de
Oxford is small compared with London → Oxford est une petite ville par rapport à Londres., Oxford est une petite ville en comparaison de Londres.
vi
(= match up) → se distinguer, se différencier
How do these two hotels compare? → En quoi est-ce que ces deux hôtels se distinguent l'un par rapport à l'autre?
How do the prices compare? → En quoi les prix se distinguent-ils?
to compare with sth/sb → soutenir la comparaison avec qch/qn
to compare favourably → soutenir la comparaison
to compare favourably with, to compare well with → soutenir la comparaison avec
to compare unfavourably with → ne pas soutenir la comparaison avec
How do these two hotels compare? → En quoi est-ce que ces deux hôtels se distinguent l'un par rapport à l'autre?
How do the prices compare? → En quoi les prix se distinguent-ils?
to compare with sth/sb → soutenir la comparaison avec qch/qn
to compare favourably → soutenir la comparaison
to compare favourably with, to compare well with → soutenir la comparaison avec
to compare unfavourably with → ne pas soutenir la comparaison avec
(= make a comparison) [person] → comparer
n
to be beyond compare (literary) → être sans comparaison possible
to be beyond compare (literary) → être sans comparaison possible
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
compare
vt → vergleichen (with, to mit); compared with or to → im Vergleich zu, verglichen mit; they cannot be compared → man kann sie nicht vergleichen, sie lassen sich nicht vergleichen; his car is not to be or can’t be compared with my new one → sein Wagen ist überhaupt kein Vergleich zu meinem neuen Auto; to compare notes → Eindrücke/Erfahrungen austauschen
vi → sich vergleichen lassen (with mit); it compares badly/well → es schneidet vergleichsweise schlecht/gut ab; it doesn’t compare very well at all → es schneidet im Vergleich überhaupt nicht gut ab; how do the two cars compare in terms of speed? → wie sieht ein Geschwindigkeitsvergleich der beiden Wagen aus?; the old car can’t compare in terms of speed with the new one → in puncto Geschwindigkeit lässt sich der alte Wagen nicht mit dem neuen vergleichen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
compare
[kəmˈpɛəʳ]1. vt to compare sth/sb with/to → paragonare qc/qn a, mettere a confronto or confrontare qc/qn con
compared with or to → a paragone di, rispetto a
to compare notes with sb (fig) → scambiare le proprie impressioni con qn
compared with or to → a paragone di, rispetto a
to compare notes with sb (fig) → scambiare le proprie impressioni con qn
2. vi to compare (with) → essere paragonabile (a), reggere il confronto (con)
how do they compare for speed? → che velocità fanno rispettivamente?
how do the prices compare? → che differenza di prezzo c'è?
it doesn't compare with yours → non è paragonabile al tuo
how do they compare for speed? → che velocità fanno rispettivamente?
how do the prices compare? → che differenza di prezzo c'è?
it doesn't compare with yours → non è paragonabile al tuo
3. n beyond compare (liter) (adj) → senza confronto or paragone; (adv) → incomparabilmente
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
compare
(kəmˈpeə) verb1. to put (things etc) side by side in order to see to what extent they are the same or different. If you compare his work with hers you will find hers more accurate; This is a good essay compared with your last one.
2. to describe as being similar to. She compared him to a monkey.
3. to be near in standard or quality. He just can't compare with Mozart.
comparable (ˈkompərəbl) adjective of the same kind, on the same scale etc. The houses were not at all comparable in size.
comparative (kəmˈpӕrətiv) adjective1. judged by comparing with something else. the comparative quiet of the suburbs.
2. (of an adjective or adverb used in comparisons) between positive and superlative, as the following underlined words. a bigger book; a better man; Blacker is a comparative adjective; (also noun) What is the comparative of `bad'?
comˈparatively adverbThis house was comparatively cheap.
comparison (kəmˈpӕrisn) noun (an act of) comparing. There's no comparison between Beethoven and pop music; Living here is cheap in comparison with London.
compare with is used to bring out similarities and differences between two things of the same type: He compared his pen with mine and decided mine was better .
compare to is used when pointing out a similarity between two different things: Stars are often compared to diamonds .
compare to is used when pointing out a similarity between two different things: Stars are often compared to diamonds .
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
compare
→ يُقَارِنُ porovnat sammenligne vergleichen συγκρίνω comparar verrata comparer usporediti paragonare 比較する 비교하다 vergelijken sammenlikne porównać comparar сравнивать jämföra เปรียบเทียบ kıyaslamak so sánh 比较Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
compare
vt. comparar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012