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Surmise vs Compare - What's the difference?

surmise | compare |

As nouns the difference between surmise and compare

is that surmise is thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess while compare is comparison.

As verbs the difference between surmise and compare

is that surmise is to conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises while compare is 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.

surmise

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
    • surmises of jealousy or of envy
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices contradict his profession; not upon small surmises .
  • * 1919 ,
    • The meeting had been devoid of incident. No word had been said to give me anything to think about, and any surmises I might make were unwarranted. I was intrigued.
  • Reflection; thought; posit.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Verb

    (surmis)
  • To conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.

    • External links

    * * ----

    compare

    English

    Verb

    (compar)
  • (label) 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.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
    • , chapter=6, title= A Cuckoo in the Nest , passage=Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katie L. Burke
    • , title= In the News , volume=101, issue=3, page=193, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.}}
  • (label) To declare two things to be similar in some respect ["to compare X to Y"].
  • * (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
    • 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.
  • To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).
  • (label) To be similar (often used in the negative ).
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
    • Shall pack horsescompare with Caesar's?
  • (label) To get; to obtain.
  • * (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
    • To fill his bags, and richesse to compare .

    Related terms

    * comparable * comparative * comparison * cf

    See also

    * contrast

    Noun

    (-)
  • comparison
  • * Milton
    • His mighty champion, strong beyond compare .
  • * Waller
    • Their small galleys may not hold compare with our tall ships.
  • illustration by comparison; simile
  • * Shakespeare
    • Rhymes full of protest, of oath, and big compare .
    1000 English basic words ----