Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-PARE', v.t. [L. comparo, to prepare, to provide or procure, to make equal, to compare; con and paro, to prepare; It. parare, to dress, trim, adorn; also, to parry; Sp. parar, to prepare, to halt, to stop, to prevent, to detain, to stake at cards; Port. parar, to stop or cease to go forward; to meet or confine upon; to touch or be bounded; to tend; to drive at some end; to aim at; to come to; to hinder; to parry, or ward off; to turn or change in inclination or morals; to lay or stake as a wager; Sp. parada, a halt, stop, pause; a fold for cattle; a relay of horses or mules; a dam or bank; a bet, stake or wager; a parade, or place of exercise for troops; Port. id.; Arm. para; W. parodi, to prepare. This seems to be theברא bara, of the Shemitic languages. The primary sense is, to throw, drive, or strike; hence, to drive or force off, to separate, to pare; hence, to trim, or dress, which may be from separating, as in the French parer des cuirs, to dress or curry leather; or from setting off, as we express the idea, that is, by enlargement, or display; or from setting in order, as we say, to fix. The sense of compare is allied to the Portuguese application of the word, to come to, to meet; and the L. par, equal, belongs to the same root, and seems to be included in comparo. One of the principal significations is, to stop; that is, to set; to fix. In fencing, it is to intercept by thrusting the weapon aside. In gaming, it is to lay or throw down. All the senses unite in that of extending, thrusting, or driving. W. par, that is contiguous, preparedness, a pair, a fellow, Eng. peer, L. par. The latter word seems to signify, extended, or reaching to, and to be closely allied to the Portuguese sense of contiguity.]

1. To set or bring things together in fact or in contemplation, and to examine the relations they bear to each other, with a view to ascertain their agreement or disagreement; as, to compare two pieces of cloth, two tables, or coins; to compare reasons and arguments; to compare pleasure with pain. In comparing movable things, it is customary to bring them together, for examination. In comparing things immovable or remote, and abstract ideas, we bring them together in the mind, as far as we are able, and consider them in connection. Comparison therefore is really collation, or it includes it.
2. To liken; to represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration. Solon compared the people to the sea, and orators and counselors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet, if the winds did not trouble it. – Bacon. In this sense compare is followed by to.
3. To examine the relations of things to each other, with a view to discover their relative proportions, quantities or qualities; as, to compare two kingdoms, or two mountains, with each other; to compare the number ten with fifteen; to compare ice with crystal; to compare a clown with a dancing master or a dandy. In this sense compare is followed by with.
4. In grammar, to form an adjective in the degrees of comparison; as, blackish, black, blacker, blackest.
5. To get; to procure; to obtain; as in Latin. [Obs.] – Spenser.