2 entries found for compare.
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compare[1,verb] compare[2,noun]

Main Entry: ¹com·pare
Pronunciation: km-pa()r, -pe()r
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): com·pared; com·par·ing
Etymology: Middle English comparen "to show to be similar, examine for points of likeness," from early French comparer (same meaning), from Latin comparare "to couple, compare," from compar (adjective) "like, similar," from com- "with, together" and par "equal" --related to PAIR, PAR, PEER, UMPIRE --see Word History at UMPIRE
1 : to describe as similar <compare an anthill to a town>
2 : to examine in order to discover likenesses or differences <compare two bicycles>
3 a : to be worthy of comparison <roller-skating does not compare with ice-skating> b : to appear in comparison to others <compares well with the rest of the class>
4 : to inflect or modify (an adjective or adverb) according to the degrees of comparison