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.
to consider or describe as similar; liken: “Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”
Grammar. to form or display the degrees of comparison of (an adjective or adverb).
verb (used without object),com·pared,com·par·ing.
to be worthy of comparison; be held equal: Dekker's plays cannot compare with Shakespeare's.
to appear in a similar standing: His recital certainly compares with the one he gave last year.
to differ in quality or accomplishment as specified: Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations.
to vie; rival.
to make a comparison: The only way we can say which product is better is to compare.
noun
comparison: Her beauty is beyond compare.
Idioms for compare
compare notes. note (def. 32).
Origin of compare
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English comparen, from Latin comparāre “to place together, match,” verbal derivative of compar “alike, matching” (see com-, par1); replacing Middle English comperen, from Old French comperer, from Latin
usage note for compare
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.
OTHER WORDS FROM compare
com·par·er,nounin·ter·com·pare,verb (used with object),in·ter·com·pared,in·ter·com·par·ing.pre·com·pare,verb (used with object),pre·com·pared,pre·com·par·ing.re·com·pare,verb (used with object),re·com·pared,re·com·par·ing.
Compare that to Guardians of the Galaxy which opened in Korea on July 31.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And compare, as noted up top, to Secretary Clinton, who spent years quietly pushing a modernized Cuba policy.
Rubio’s Embargo Anger Plays to the Past|Michael Tomasky|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To compare, Lana Del Rey sold over 100,000 copies that same week.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now compare that to what happened when Sarah Palin's emails were released.
The IRS Email Double Standard|Matt Lewis|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The best way to compare employment totals across many nations is through the International Monetary Fund.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: November 9|PunditFact.com|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When I compare the position of the reader of to-day with that of his predecessor of the sixteenth century.
Library Of The World's Best Literature, Ancient And Modern, Vol 3|Various
It will be curious to compare the dialogues of the original with their counterpart in the play.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction.|Various
They compare two modes of action, or two substances, and judge the one to be preferable to the other, and accordingly select it.
Nineteenth Century Questions|James Freeman Clarke
Compare the way immigrants come to-day with the way they came in colonial times.
History of the United States|Charles A. Beard and Mary R. Beard
I could only compare them to the worst-constructed bridle-roads in England which the packhorses traversed centuries ago.
Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel|John Yeardley
British Dictionary definitions for compare
compare
/ (kəmˈpɛə) /
verb
(tr usually foll by to) to regard or represent as analogous or similar; likenthe general has been compared to Napoleon
(tr usually foll by with) to examine in order to observe resemblances or differencesto compare rum with gin
(intr usually foll by with) to be of the same or similar quality or valuegin compares with rum in alcoholic content
(intr)to bear a specified relation of quality or value when examinedthis car compares badly with the other
(intr usually foll by with) to correspond toprofits were £3.2 million. This compares with £2.6 million last year
(tr)grammarto give the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of (an adjective)
(intr)archaicto compete or vie
compare notesto exchange opinions
noun
comparison or analogy (esp in the phrase beyond compare)
Derived forms of compare
comparer, noun
Word Origin for 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
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