• (America) IPA: /kəmˈpɛɚ/, [kəmˈpɛɚ], [kəmˈpɛɹ], [kəmˈpeɚ], [kəmˈpeɹ]
• (RP) IPA: /kəmˈpɛə/, [kəmˈpɛː], [kəmˈpɛə], [kəmˈpeə]

compare (compares, present participle comparing; past and past participle compared)

1. (transitive) 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 the tiger's coloration with that of the zebra.

   You can't compare my problems and yours.

2. (transitive) To declare two things to be similar in some respect ["to compare X to Y"].

   Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs.

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Apophthegms

     Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counsellors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did not trouble it.

3. (transitive, grammar) To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).

   We compare "good" as "good", "better", "best".

4. (intransitive) To be similar (often used in the negative).

   A sapling and a fully-grown oak tree do not compare.

   • c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene iv]:

     Shall pack-horses […] compare with Caesar's?

5. (obsolete) To get; to obtain.

   • To fill his bags, and richesse to compare.

• comparable
• comparative
• comparison
• cf

• French: comparer
• German: vergleichen
• Italian: paragonare
• Portuguese: comparar
• Russian: сра́внивать
• Spanish: comparar, parangonar

• German: steigern

• German: übereinstimmen
• Russian: сра́вниваться

compare

1. (uncountable) Comparison.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398 ↗, line 557, [https://archive.org/stream/paradiseregaindp00milt_0#page/{page}/mode/1up page 38]:

     His mighty Champion, ſtrong above compare,

   • Their small galleys may not hold compare with our tall ships.

2. (countable, programming) An instruction or command that compares two values.
   • 1998, IEEE, International Conference on Computer Design: Proceedings (page 490)

     […] including addition and subtraction, memory operations, compares, shifts, logic operations, and condition operations.

   • 2013, Paolo Bruni, Carlos Alberto Gomes da Silva Junior, Craig McKellar, Managing DB2 for z/OS Utilities with DB2 Tools Solution Packs

     It is always advisable to run a compare between your source and target environments. This should highlight whether there are differences in the lengths of VARCHARs and then the differences can be corrected before you clone.

3. (uncountable, obsolete) Illustration by comparison; simile.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Rhymes full of protest, of oath, and big compare.