com•pare
Pronunciation: (kum-pâr'), [key]
— v., n. -pared, -par•ing,
—v.t.
- to examine (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in order to note similarities and differences: to compare two pieces of cloth; to compare the governments of two nations.
- 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).
—v.i.
- to be worthy of comparison; be held equal: Dekker's plays cannot compare with Shakespeare's.
- to appear in a similar standing: His recital certainly compares with the one he gave last year.
- to differ in quality or accomplishment as specified: Their development compares poorly with that of neighbor nations.
- to vie; rival.
- to make a comparison: The only way we can say which product is better is to compare.
- See(def. 25).
—n.
- comparison: Her beauty is beyond compare.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.