compare

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Archived revision by 86.145.59.183 (talk) as of 22:28, 22 December 2019.
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: comparé

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French comparer, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin comparare (“to prepare, procure”), from compar (“like or equal to another”), from com- + par (“equal”).

Pronunciation

Verb

Lua error in Module:en-headword at line 1152: Legacy parameter 1=STEM no longer supported, just use 'en-verb' without params

  1. (transitive) To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things ["to compare X with Y"]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it similar to Y or different from Y.
    Compare the tiger's coloration with that of the zebra.
    You can't compare my problems and yours.
    • 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 6, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
      Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.
    • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
      Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.
  2. (transitive) To declare two things to be similar in some respect ["to compare X to Y"].
    Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs.
    • (Can we date this quote by Francis Bacon and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counsellors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did not trouble it.
  3. (transitive, grammar) To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).
    We compare "good" as "good", "better", "best".
  4. (intransitive) To be similar (often used in the negative).
    A sapling and a fully-grown oak tree do not compare.
    • (Can we date this quote by William Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Shall pack horses […] compare with Caesar's?
  5. (obsolete) To get; to obtain.
    • (Can we date this quote by Edmund Spenser and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      To fill his bags, and richesse to compare.

Related terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

compare (countable and uncountable, plural compares)

  1. (uncountable) Comparison.
    • (Can we date this quote by John Milton and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      His mighty champion, strong beyond compare.
    • (Can we date this quote by Waller and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Their small galleys may not hold compare with our tall ships.
  2. (countable, programming) An instruction or command that compares two values.
    • 1998, IEEE, International Conference on Computer Design: Proceedings (page 490)
      […] including addition and subtraction, memory operations, compares, shifts, logic operations, and condition operations.
    • 2013, Paolo Bruni, Carlos Alberto Gomes da Silva Junior, Craig McKellar, Managing DB2 for z/OS Utilities with DB2 Tools Solution Packs
      It is always advisable to run a compare between your source and target environments. This should highlight whether there are differences in the lengths of VARCHARs and then the differences can be corrected before you clone.
  3. (uncountable, obsolete) Illustration by comparison; simile.
    • (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Rhymes full of protest, of oath, and big compare.

See also

Anagrams

Asturian

Verb

(deprecated template usage) compare

  1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive of comparar

French

Pronunciation

Verb

compare

  1. inflection of comparer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /komˈpa.re/, [komˈpäːre]
  • Rhymes: -are
  • Hyphenation: com‧pà‧re

Etymology 1

From Late Latin compatrem, accusative of compater, from Latin com- (“together”) + pater (“father”), whence also padre. Cognate to Neapolitan cumpà, Sicilian cumpari; see more at compater.

Noun

compare m (plural compari, feminine comare)

  1. A child's godfather in relation to their parents: a co-father; or a child's father in relation to their co-father and his family.
    Synonym: padrino
  2. (extensively) A male wedding witness or best man in relation to the spouses, or a bridegroom in relation to his wedding witness.
    Synonyms: testimone, testimone di nozze
  3. (extensively) A way of addressing an old male friend.
    Synonym: amico
  4. (extensively, derogatory) accomplice
    Synonym: complice
Derived terms

Related terms

See also

Etymology 2

Verb

compare

  1. third-person singular present indicative of comparire
    Synonym: comparisce

Anagrams

Latin

Verb

(deprecated template usage) compārē

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of compāreō

Portuguese

Verb

compare

  1. inflection of comparar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

Verb

compare

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of comparar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of comparar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of comparar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of comparar.
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=compare&oldid=58215716"