Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1930
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COMPARE, n. Comparison, resemblance (Abd.2, Fif.10 1937). Now only arch. and poet. in Eng. in phrases beyond compare, without compare, etc. [kəm′pe:r]Bch. 1930 P. Giles in Abd. Univ. Review (March) 106:
A great muckle deem Lizzie Wallace wiz the kitchie 'oman. . . . The raker wiz aye assign't t' the kitchie lass [at a harvest dance], bit there wizna muckle compare atween Lizzie and Colin.
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"Compare n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/compare>
