comparison
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
comparison
n 1: the act of examining resemblances; "they made a comparison
of noise levels"; "the fractions selected for comparison
must require pupils to consider both numerator and
denominator" [syn: {comparison}, {comparing}]
2: relation based on similarities and differences
3: qualities that are comparable; "no comparison between the two
books"; "beyond compare" [syn: {comparison}, {compare},
{equivalence}, {comparability}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Comparison \Com*par"i*son\ (? or ?), n. [F. comparaison, L.
comparatio. See 1st {Compare}.]
1. The act of comparing; an examination of two or more
objects with the view of discovering the resemblances or
differences; relative estimate.
[1913 Webster]
As sharp legal practitioners, no class of human
beings can bear comparison with them. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
The miracles of our Lord and those of the Old
Testament afford many interesting points of
comparison. --Trench.
[1913 Webster]
2. The state of being compared; a relative estimate; also, a
state, quality, or relation, admitting of being compared;
as, to bring a thing into comparison with another; there
is no comparison between them.
[1913 Webster]
3. That to which, or with which, a thing is compared, as
being equal or like; illustration; similitude.
[1913 Webster]
Whereto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with
what comparison shall we compare it? --Mark iv. 30.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Gram.) The modification, by inflection or otherwise,
which the adjective and adverb undergo to denote degrees
of quality or quantity; as, little, less, least, are
examples of comparison.
[1913 Webster]
5. (Rhet.) A figure by which one person or thing is compared
to another, or the two are considered with regard to some
property or quality, which is common to them both; e.g.,
the lake sparkled like a jewel.
[1913 Webster]
6. (Phren.) The faculty of the reflective group which is
supposed to perceive resemblances and contrasts.
[1913 Webster]
{Beyond comparison}, so far superior as to have no likeness,
or so as to make comparison needless.
{In comparison of}, {In comparison with}, as compared with;
in proportion to. [Archaic] "So miserably unpeopled in
comparison of what it once was." --Addison.
{Comparison of hands} (Law), a mode of proving or disproving
the genuineness of a signature or writing by comparing it
with another proved or admitted to be genuine, in order to
ascertain whether both were written by the same person.
--Bouvier. --Burrill.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
98 Moby Thesaurus words for "comparison":
accordance, affinity, agent, agreement, alikeness, alliance,
alternate, alternative, analogy, aping, approach, approximation,
assimilation, backup, balance, balancing, change, changeling,
closeness, commensurability, community, comparability, conformity,
contrast, contrasting, copy, copying, correspondence, counterfeit,
deputy, double, dummy, equal, equivalent, ersatz, exchange, fake,
fill-in, ghost, ghostwriter, identity, imitation, juxtaposing,
juxtaposition, kinship, likeness, likening, locum tenens,
makeshift, match, metaphor, metonymy, mimicking, nearness,
next best thing, parallelism, parity, personnel, phony,
pinch hitter, proxy, relation, relationship, relief, replacement,
representative, resemblance, reserves, ringer, sameness,
second string, secondary, semblance, sign, similarity, simile,
similitude, simulation, spares, stand-in, sub, substituent,
substitute, substitution, succedaneum, superseder, supplanter,
surrogate, symbol, synecdoche, third string, token, understudy,
utility player, vicar, vice-president, vice-regent, weighing
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