Forms: 4–5 comparisoun, -ysoun(e, 4–6 -yson, -isone, (5 comparrison, -parsoun, -paricon), 6 compareson(e, comparason, 5– comparison. [a. OF. comparaison, compareson = Pr. comparasó, Sp. comparacion, It. comparazione:—L. comparātiōn-em, n. of action f. comparāre. For the form cf. orison:—ōrātiōnem, venison:—vēnātiōnem, etc. See also COMPARATION, a later adaptation of the L.]
1. The action, or an act, of comparing, likening, or representing as similar: see COMPARE v.1 1. † To make comparison of: to compare.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 8890. Þe bryght cete of heven … Of whilk may na comparyson be made Tille na cete þat on erth may stand.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 122. Prol. Of swiche swetenesse … That for to speke of gomme or herb or tree Comparison may noon ymaked be.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxiii. 108. Ne nan oþer may be made comparisoun off till hem.
1509. Fisher, Fun. Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. 290. The comparyson of them two may be made in iiij. thynges.
1576. Fleming, Panop. Epist., 255. A comparison betweene waxe … and the witt of man.
1729. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 3. There is scarce any ground for comparison between society and the mere material body.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxiv. Good King David, or … our valiant Sir William Wallace,—not that I bring myself into comparison with either.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 20. The comparison of philosophy to a yelping she-dog.
2. Capacity of being likened or compared; relation between things such as admits of their being compared; comparable condition or character. (Always with negative expressed or implied.)
1340. Ayenb., 92. Of zuyche blisse and of zuyche loste no liknesse ne non comparisoun ne may by yuounde ine yoyes and ine lostes of þe wordle.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. xxi. 181. So moche a debonayer lorde … that ther is no comparison to hym.
1592. R. D., trans. Hypnerotomachia, 56 b. To all which … there could no more bee deuised of equall comparison.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. ii. 65. Troylus is the better man of the two. Cre. Oh Iupiter: there’s no comparison.
1662. Gerbier, Princ., 12. A Pallace without comparison to any other.
1813. Shelley, Q. Mab, I. 54.
| Those lines of rainbow light | |
| Are like the moonbeams when they fall | |
| Through some cathedral window, but the tints | |
| Are such as may not find | |
| Comparison on earth. |
Mod. Is there any comparison between them?
b. esp. in the phrases without comparison, out of all c., beyond all c.
1340. Ayenb., 81. Þe ymage of his sseppere, þet is uayr wyþoute comparysoun.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xv. 55. Eneas appyered aboue all the other wythout ony comparyson the most fayre.
1598. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 165. When Cortez saw that beautifull thing, his joy was without comparison.
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ix. 712. Out of all comparison, the stronger and more dangerous operation of the two.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xvii. 95. The claims of one man stood forth beyond all comparison.
† c. concr. One that can be compared. Obs. rare.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 3338. The knycht in to the armys Red … may to this be no comparysoune.
3. ‘A simile in writing or speaking; an illustration by similitude’ (J.).
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xlvii. 18. In songus, and in prouerbis and comparisouns.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7127. And many such comparisoun … Might menne in that booke find.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1675), 37. Good Comparisons serve equally to illustrate, and to persuade.
a. 1693. Temple, Ess. Pop. Discontents, Wks. 1731, I. 270. The Comparison between a State and a Ship.
1771. Junius Lett., lxiv. 325. Comparisons may sometimes illustrate, but prove nothing.
1858. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., vi. 37. A comparison which … suggests itself.
† b. A satirical or scoffing similitude. Obs.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 854. A man repleate with mockes, Full of comparisons, and wounding floutes. Ibid. (1599), Much Ado, II. i. 152. Hee’l but breake a comparison or two on me, which … not laugh’d at, strikes him into melancholly.
4. The action, or an act, of comparing, or noting the similarities and differences of two or more things: see COMPARE v.1 2.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 10. In making of comparison There may no difference be Betwen a drunken man and me.
1526. Tindale, 1 Cor. ii. 13. Makynge spretuall comparesons of spretuall thynges.
1529. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. 140/1. Thei will make comparisons betwene our Lady of Ippiswitch and our Ladie of Walsingham.
1640. Wilkins, New Planet, VI. (1707), 208. The Words Great and Little, are relative Terms, and do import a Comparison to something else.
1773. Ld. Monboddo, Language (1774), I. I. vi. 68. The faculty of Comparison is that which produces ideas.
1860. Abp. Thomson, Laws Th., 75. Comparison is the act of putting together two or more single objects with a view to ascertain how far they resemble each other.
1866. Liddon, Bampt. Lect., vi. (1875), 320. A comparison is instituted between Christianity and Judaism.
b. To bear or stand comparison with.
1845. Ford, Handbk. Spain, I. 11. The high road to La Coruña … will stand comparison with any in Europe.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxiii. 166. In point of grandeur it [the view] will bear comparison with any in the Alps.
5. Phraseological const. a. In comparison of (arch.); † as to the c. of, † to the c. of (obs. rare); b. in comparison to; c. in (by) comparison with: as compared with; considered with reference to; also d. ellipt. in, by comparison.
a. 1382. Wyclif, Wisd. vii. 8. Richesses I seide nothing to ben in comparisoun of it.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccliii. 325. Lo what a mariage was this as to the comparison of that other. Ibid. (1483), Cato, F v. Yf many been dampned to the comparyson and regard of them that are saued.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. lxxii[i]. 25. There is nothinge vpon earth, that I desyre in comparison of the.
1780. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., x. (1876), 9. The Sculptor’s art is limited in comparison of others.
1873. Miss Broughton, Nancy, III. 118. A bear is an amiable and affable beast in comparison of him.
b. c. 1380. Wyclif, Wicket, 8. A sterre in clerenes [is] nothinge in comparyson to the sonne.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 2 b. They despysed all worldly rychesse in comparyson to ye knowlege.
1715. Desaguliers, Fires Impr., 28. The warm Air … is but in a small quantity, in comparison to that which fills the whole Room.
1843. F. Paget, Pageant, 60. My dress costs nothing, in comparison to what the expense of many people’s will be.
c. 1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 108. What a boie art thou in comparison with this fellow.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angells, 163. Not onely simply, but in comparison with other things.
1833. De Quincey, Autob. Sk., Wks. 1863, XIV. 149. Throwing in their teeth the brilliancy of my verses at eleven or twelve, by comparison with theirs at … nineteen.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. iii. 243. These things were as nothing in comparison with the powers claimed for convocation.
d. 1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XX. viii. There were but fewe in comparyson that wold bere ony armour.
1532. Thynne, Chaucer’s Wks., Ded. Whiche … seemeth … in comparison as a pure and fyne tryed precious … jewell.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, A. Before … there were verie few theeves and roges in England, in comparison that there are now.
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett. (1814), II. 144. Penrith … seems here, by comparison, like a metropolis.
6. Proverb. Comparisons are odious.
c. 1430. Lydg., Hors Shepe & G., 204. Odyous of olde been comparisonis, And of comparisonis engendyrd is haterede.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 68. Least [= lest] comparisons should seeme odious.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. v. 18. Con. Dog. Comparisons are odorous, palabras, neighbour Verges.
1635. Sanderson, Serm., 36. Though Comparisons bee ever harsh, and most times odious.
1731. Swift, Answ. Simile, ad fin., Wks. 1755, IV. I. 223.
| We own your verses are melodious; | |
| But such comparisons are odious. |
1822. Hazlitt, Table-t., I. xi. 247. Comparisons are odious, because they are impertinent … making one thing the standard of another which has no relation to it.
† 7. ? Rivalry, contention. Obs.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 25. Malice, discord, pryde and comparesone.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 149. Drink initiates quarrels and comparisons.
8. Gram. The action of comparing an adjective or adverb. Degrees of comparison: the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees of an adjective or adverb. See COMPARATIVE A. 2, COMPARE v.1 3.
1530. Palsgr., 69 Adjectyves … maye have with us er and est added to their endes, whan we make comparyson in our tong.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 409/2. Nowe wyll he … come forth wyth his thre degrees of comparison, olde, elder, and eldest.
c. 1620. A. Hume, Brit. Tongue (1865), 30. Of comparison ther be thre degrees: if the first may be called a degre.
1876. Mason, Eng. Gram., § 116. 40. Combinations like more learned, most virtuous, may be called ‘Degrees of Comparison’ on the same principle as that on which ‘I shall go’ is called the ‘Future Tense’ of the verb go.
¶ ? A corruption of CAPARISON.
1540. Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl., in Pitcairn, Crim. Trials, I. 300*. iij Comparisonis to the Kingis Grace, xx elnis blak Armosing Taffitese. Ibid., I. 301*. For brodering of ane Comparissoune of his graces.
