compare

com•pare

[[t]kəmˈpɛər[/t]] v. -pared, -par•ing, n.

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?”[/ex]

3) gram. to form or display the degrees of comparison of (an adjective or adverb)

4) to be worthy of comparison:

Whose plays can compare with Shakespeare's?[/ex]

5) to be in similar standing; be alike:

This recital compares with the one he gave last year[/ex]

6) to appear in quality, progress, etc., as specified:

Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations[/ex]

7) cvb to make comparisons

8) comparison:

a beauty beyond compare[/ex]

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- compare notes

Etymology: 1375–1425; late ME < OF comperer < L comparāre to place together, match, v. der. 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.