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Parallel vs Comparative - What's the difference?

parallel | comparative | Synonyms |

As adjectives the difference between parallel and comparative

is that parallel is equally distant from one another at all points while comparative is of or relating to comparison.

As nouns the difference between parallel and comparative

is that parallel is one of a set of parallel lines while comparative is a construction showing a relative quality, in English usually formed by adding more or appending -er. For example, the comparative of green is greener; of evil, more evil.

As an adverb parallel

is with a parallel relationship.

As a verb parallel

is to construct or place something parallel to something else.

parallel

Adjective

(-)
  • Equally distant from one another at all points.
  • The horizontal lines on my notebook paper are parallel .
  • * Hakluyt
  • revolutions parallel to the equinoctial
  • Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to".
  • The railway line runs parallel to the road.
    The two railway lines are parallel .
  • * Addison
  • When honour runs parallel with the laws of God and our country, it cannot be too much cherished.
  • (hyperbolic geometry) said of a pair of lines:'' that they either do not intersect or they coincide Jos Leys — ''The hyperbolic chamber (paragraph 8)
  • (computing) Involving the processing of multiple tasks at the same time
  • a parallel algorithm

    Antonyms

    * perpendicular, skew, serial

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • With a parallel relationship.
  • The road runs parallel with the canal.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One of a set of parallel lines.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Who made the spider parallels design, / Sure as De Moivre, without rule or line?
  • Direction conformable to that of another line.
  • * Garth
  • lines that from their parallel decline
  • A line of latitude.
  • The 31st parallel passes through the center of my town.
  • An arrangement of electrical components such that a current flows along two or more paths; see in parallel.
  • Something identical or similar in essential respects.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • None but thyself can be thy parallel .
  • A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity.
  • Johnson's parallel between Dryden and Pope
  • (military) One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.
  • (printing) A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines, used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page.
  • Antonyms

    * perpendicular, skew (?)

    Verb

  • To construct or place something parallel to something else.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • The needle doth parallel and place itself upon the true meridian.
  • Of a path etc: To be parallel to something else.
  • Of a process etc: To be analogous to something else.
  • To compare or liken something to something else.
  • To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, etc.
  • * Shakespeare
  • His life is parallelled / Even with the stroke and line of his great justice.
  • To equal; to match; to correspond to.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • To produce or adduce as a parallel.
  • * Shakespeare
  • My young remembrance cannot parallel / A fellow to it.
    (John Locke)

    Derived terms

    * embarrassingly parallel * forty-ninth parallel * parallel algorithm * parallel circuit * parallel computing * parallelism * parallelogram * parallel universe * unparalleled

    See also

    * sequential

    References

    ----

    comparative

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or relating to comparison.
  • * Granvill
  • The comparative faculty.
  • Using comparison as a method of study, or founded on something using it.
  • comparative anatomy
  • Approximated by comparison; relative.
  • * Whewell
  • The recurrence of comparative warmth and cold.
  • * Bentley
  • The bubble, by reason of its comparative levity to the fluid that encloses it, would necessarily ascend to the top.
  • (obsolete) Comparable; bearing comparison.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.137:
  • And need he had of slumber yet, for none / Had suffered more—his hardships were comparative / To those related in my grand-dad's Narrative .

    Derived terms

    * comparatively * * comparativeness * comparativism * comparativist * comparativistic

    Noun

    (wikipedia comparative) (en noun)
  • (grammar) A construction showing a relative quality, in English usually formed by adding more'' or appending ''-er''. For example, the comparative of ''green'' is ''greener''; of ''evil'', ''more evil .
  • (grammar) A word in the comparative form.
  • (obsolete) An equal; a rival; a compeer.
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • Gerard ever was / His full comparative .
  • (obsolete) One who makes comparisons; one who affects wit.
  • * .67:
  • Every beardless vain comparative .

    See also

    * contrastive

    References

    * * * ----