I. com ‧ pare 1 S1 W1 /kəmˈpeə $ -ˈper/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ comparison , ↑ comparability , the comparative; adverb : ↑ comparatively , ↑ comparably ; adjective : ↑ comparable ≠ ↑ incomparable , ↑ comparative ; verb : ↑ compare ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: comparer , from Latin comparare , from compar 'like' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + par 'equal' ]
1 . [transitive] 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 something used when considering the size, quality, or amount of something in relation to something similar:
a 20% reduction in burglary compared with last year
Compared to our small flat, Bill’s house seemed like a palace.
3 . [intransitive] to be better or worse than something else
compare (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) if something does not compare with something else, it is not as good, large etc:
The rides at the fair just can’t compare with the rides at Disneyland.
5 . compare notes (with somebody) informal to talk to someone in order to find out if their experience of something is the same as yours:
Leading scientists got together in Paris to compare notes on current research.
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THESAURUS
▪ compare to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or different:
Scientists compared the results of both experiments.
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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 similar:
In her article, she makes a comparison between people’s lives now and 50 years ago.
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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 use:
Some 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 use:
He draws a parallel between football and religion.
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Parallels can be drawn between her work and that of Picasso.
▪ contrast verb [transitive] to compare two things, situations etc, in order to show how they are different from each other:
In 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 different:
The author draws a distinction between allowing death to occur, and causing it.
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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, etc:
As a young actress, she was nervous of being measured against her famous father.
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Murray’s progress is often measured against that of Nadal.
II. compare 2 BrE AmE noun
beyond/without compare literary a quality that is beyond compare is the best of its kind:
a beauty and an elegance beyond compare