Obs. [f. prec. sb.]
1. trans. To liken; = COMPARE v.1 1.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 161. Thus comparisunez kryst þe kyndom of heuenne, To þis frelych feste.
1340. Ayenb., 81. Al þet me may … þenche of uayr hit ne may naȝt by ycomparisoned to him.
1382. Wyclif, Mark iv. 30. To what parable shulen we comparisoune it?
c. 1400. Test. Love, Prol. Reasonable that woll not is comparisoned to unreasonable.
2. To place together so as to note the similarities and differences of; = COMPARE v.1 2.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. vii. 58. Þilke self noumbre of ȝeres … ne may nat certys be comparisound to þe perdurablete þat is eendeles.
1626. W. Sclater, Expos. 2 Thess. (1629), 51. His art of comparisoning our present sufferings with our future glory: how would it silence our murmurings!
† 3. In Wyclif as rendering of L. comparare: a. trans. To make like, fashion after the likeness of (const. to). b. intr. To vie, contend; = COMPARE v.1 4. c. trans. To place in rivalry with.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. xiii. 14. That he … licne it to an ymage of man, or to sum of bestes it he comparisoune. Ibid., 1 Macc. x. 71. Come doun to vs in to the feeld; and there comparysoun we to gidre. Ibid., Gen. xxx. 8. The Lord hath comparisound me with my sister, and I have recovered.
