Definitions for COMPAREkəmˈpɛər

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

com•pare^*kəmˈpɛər(v.; n.)-pared, -par•ing

(v.t.)to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities and differences.
to consider or describe as similar; liken:
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”
to form or display the degrees of comparison of (an adjective or adverb).
Category: Grammar
(v.i.)to be worthy of comparison:
Whose plays can compare with Shakespeare's?
to be in similar standing; be alike:
This recital compares with the one he gave last year.
to appear in quality, progress, etc., as specified:
Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations.
to make comparisons.
Category: Common Vocabulary
(n.)comparison:
a beauty beyond compare.

Idioms for compare:

compare notes,to exchange views, ideas, or impressions.
Category: Idiom

^* 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.

Origin of compare:

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.)

Princeton's WordNet

comparison, compare, equivalence, comparability(verb)
qualities that are comparable
"no comparison between the two books"; "beyond compare"
compare(verb)
examine and note the similarities or differences of
"John compared his haircut to his friend's"; "We compared notes after we had both seen the movie"
compare(verb)
be comparable
"This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes"
compare, liken, equate(verb)
consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous
"We can compare the Han dynasty to the Romans"; "You cannot equate success in financial matters with greed"
compare(verb)
to form the comparative or superlative form on an adjective or adverb

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

compare(verb)əmˈpɛər
to examine two or more things in order to find similarities and differences
We're comparing the two poems.; to compare girls' math scores with boys'; You're easy to talk to, compared to Katie.
compareəmˈpɛər
to say sb or sth is as good or bad as another
I'm not comparing him to Albert Einstein.
compareəmˈpɛər
is not as good as
We tried the new wine, but it doesn't compare.
compareəmˈpɛər
used to ask if sth is better or worse than sth else
How does it compare with your old car?

Wiktionary

compare(Verb)
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(Verb)
To declare two things to be similar in some respect ["to compare X to Y"].
Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs
compare(Verb)
To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).
We compare good as good, better, best
compare(Verb)
To be similar (often used in the negative).
A sapling and a fully-grown oak tree do not compare.

Webster Dictionary

Compare(verb)
to examine the character or qualities of, as of two or more persons or things, for the purpose of discovering their resemblances or differences; to bring into comparison; to regard with discriminating attention
Compare(verb)
to represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration; to liken
Compare(verb)
to inflect according to the degrees of comparison; to state positive, comparative, and superlative forms of; as, most adjectives of one syllable are compared by affixing "- er" and "-est" to the positive form; as, black, blacker, blackest; those of more than one syllable are usually compared by prefixing "more" and "most", or "less" and "least", to the positive; as, beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful
Compare(verb)
to be like or equal; to admit, or be worthy of, comparison; as, his later work does not compare with his earlier
Compare(verb)
to vie; to assume a likeness or equality
Compare(noun)
comparison
Compare(noun)
illustration by comparison; simile
Compare(verb)
to get; to procure; to obtain; to acquire