Word family noun comparison comparability the comparative adjective comparable ≠ incomparable comparative verb compare adverb comparatively comparably
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcomparecom‧pare1 /kəmˈpeə $ -ˈper/ ●●● S1 W1 verb 1 SIMILAR/DIFFERENT[transitive]COMPARE to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or different → comparison The report compares the different types of home computer available.compare something/somebody with something/somebody The police compared the suspect’s fingerprints with those found at the crime scene.compare something/somebody to something/somebody Davies’ style of writing has been compared to Dickens’.compare and contrast (=an expression used when telling students to write about the things that are similar or different in works of literature or art) Compare and contrast the main characters of these two novels.2 → compared to/with something3 LIKE/EQUALLY GOOD[intransitive]LIKE/SIMILAR to be better or worse than something elsecompare (favourably/unfavourably) with something The quality of English wines can now compare with wines from Germany. How does life in Britain compare with life in the States? The imported fabric is 30% cheaper and compares favourably (=is as good) in quality.4 → something doesn’t/can’t compare (with something)5 → compare notes (with somebody)THESAURUScompare to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or differentScientists compared the results of both experiments.The woman’s body was identified by comparing her teeth with dental records.make/draw a comparison to compare two or more things or people and say how they are similarIn her article, she makes a comparison between people’s lives now and 50 years ago.It is possible to draw a comparison between the two poets’ work.draw an analogy to say that two situations are similar – a rather formal useSome people have attempted to draw an analogy between America’s invasion of Iraq and the war in Vietnam.draw a parallel to say that some features of things are similar, especially things that are actually very different – a rather formal useHe draws a parallel between football and religion.Parallels can be drawn between her work and that of Picasso.contrast to compare two things, situations etc, in order to show how they are different from each otherIn her novel she contrasts the lives of two families in very different circumstances.make/draw a distinction between to say that you think two things are very differentThe author draws a distinction between allowing death to occur, and causing it.It is important to make a distinction between people’s fears about crime and the amount of crime that really happens.measure somebody/something against somebody/something to compare two people or things, in order to judge which is better, bigger etcAs a young actress, she was nervous of being measured against her famous father.Murray’s progress is often measured against that of Nadal. → See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
compare• There was nothing, not even that hotel sitting room, to compare.• You should compare at least three or four computers before buying one.• You can't compare Charlie Parker with John Coltrane. They were completely different musicians.• The report compares home computers currently available in stores.• I hate the way you always compare me with your ex-boyfriend.• If you compare rents in London with those in New York, you'll find they are about the same.• Some 22 percent of councillors had a degree or equivalent qualification compared to only 5 percent of the general population.• They were more physically fit, had lost a little body fat and lowered their triglycerides compared to the control group.• The 1991 figure of 585 casualties shows a marked reduction of 65 or 10% compared with the 1990 total of 650 casualties.compare and contrast• Opportunities ought to be compared and contrasted.• Other strategies with similar popularity were: serial strategy, compare and contrast, and overall impression.• Its structure aims to allow the reader to compare and contrast aspects of environmental law between different jurisdictions.• One doesn't need to compare and contrast - It's a moment one can be justly proud of.• For example is there something similar happening in their own country so that they might compare and contrast practice in one country and another?• At this stage they are encouraged to compare and contrast the facilities and user interfaces provided.• Pupils will at first no doubt compare and contrast the past and the present.• Pupils could be asked to compare and contrast their own area with another different area.compare (favourably/unfavourably) with something• This shows a recovery in the U.K. share as compared with 1990/91, when the figures were: U.S. 38.6%.• Fertility averaged over six children per couple, as compared with 2. 7 in the industrialized world.• That compares with a 1. 9 percent rise in November, the biggest monthly rise since July.• Computers traditionally talk to each other over phone lines, which have sharply limited capacity compared with cable.• At speeds low compared with light, the temporal retardation is proportional to the square of your speed.• Last year Iron Maiden gear grossed £7 million compared with record sales of £21 million.• It is less than £30,000, compared with the tens or hundreds of millions that are spent on promoting tobacco.• The Astra has been accused of having poor suspension control, but it's nothing compared with the way the LeBaron behaves.comparecompare2 noun → beyond/without compareExamples from the Corpus
compare• She went to her chamber and used every art she knew to make herself beautiful beyond compare.• Their written language was the most advanced of the pre-Columbian scripts, and their astronomical knowledge beyond compare.Origin compare1 (1400-1500) French comparer, from Latin comparare, from compar “like”, from com- ( → COM-) + par “equal” 