The idiom comparing apples and oranges has its roots in another idiom, popular during Shakespeare’s time. We will examine the meaning of the idiom comparing apples and oranges, where this phrase came from, and some examples of its use in sentences. The idiom comparing apples and oranges means that one is trying to draw similarities between two things that are not similar. Though one may argue that apples and oranges are both fruit, they do not look, taste, feel, or smell the same. The expression comparing apples and oranges came into use in the 1800s, though the popularity of the term increased during the latter half of the twentieth century. The idiom has its roots in an older phrase, comparing apples and oysters, which may be found in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew: “As much as an apple doth an oyster, and all one.” The phrase is rendered in other languages such as German, Spanish, and Swedish as comparing apples and pears. The idiom comparing apples and oranges is sometimes seen as comparing apples to oranges. Related phrases are compare apples and oranges, compares apples and oranges, compared apples and oranges.
The English idiom ‘(to) compare apples and oranges‘ is used when you are comparing two things that are very different and should not (or can not) be compared. Think about an apple and an orange. The colours, flavours and textures are very different. It’s hard to compare two things that are so different!
Here’s an example: Alex: We looked at three apartments today. Which one did you like most? David: Oh, I don't know! You are asking me to compare apples and oranges! They were all so different. Alex: I liked the one with the balcony and the big kitchen. (David couldn't choose which apartment he liked because they were all very different.) Can you think of another example of comparing apples and oranges? Write your answers in the comments box below!
Two unlike things or people. A global tech company and a farming co-op are apples to oranges, so comparing their marketing strategies isn't exactly practical, don't you think? My mom and my mother-in-law are just apples and oranges. They should not be left alone in the same room for too long! Come on, you're a nurse and I'm an engineer—our work worlds are apples and oranges! See also: and, apple, orange Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved. Fig. two entities that are not similar. (Used especially in reference to comparisons of unlike things.) You can't talk about Fred and Ted in the same breath! They're like apples and oranges. Talking about her current book and her previous bestseller is like comparing apples and oranges. See also: and, apple, orange McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Unlike objects or persons, as in Assessing the problems of the neighborhood grocery by examining a giant supermarket is comparing apples and oranges . This metaphor for dissimilarity began as apples and oysters, which appeared in John Ray's proverb collection of 1670. It is nearly always accompanied by a warning that one cannot compare such different categories. See also: and, apple, orange The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. If you say that two things are apples and oranges, you mean that they are completely different and cannot be compared. We really can't compare the data any more, it's not the same — it's just apples and oranges. Note: You can also say that comparing two things is like comparing apples with oranges. To compare one with the other is to make the mistake we were all warned about in third grade, not to compare apples with oranges. See also: and, apple, orange Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012 See also: and, apple, orange Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017 See also: and, apple, orange Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017 Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. Link to this page: <a href="https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/apples+and+oranges">apples and oranges</a>
The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. The unreleased album, titled Apples and Oranges, was later released with the help of Mr Archer through Cherry Red Records in 2009. Instead of a symbol to wrap up the narrative in a neat Freudian package, we find apples and oranges confirming--or warning us off?--our urge to compare elements of the work.
Also: Meaning of Idiom ‘Comparing Apples to Oranges’Apples and oranges metaphorically refer to objects or persons that are not alike; things that are quite different even though they may fall into the same category. When we say two things are apples and oranges or that is comparing apples and oranges, we are saying that two things are completely different and it makes no sense to compare them.
Usage NotesAs above, apples and oranges refer to two things that are quite different even though they may fall into the same category. This is important because we usually compare things that seem to be alike because they are of the same type or category, but they may have vastly different characteristics, just as apples and oranges do. Apples and oranges are both fruit, but they are completely different from one another, with different colors, tastes, and textures. It would make more sense to compare an apple with a pear, for instance, which has a similar texture, than to an orange. However, this is not a rule. Any time someone compares things that cannot be compared in a meaningful way, you can refer to this comparison as ‘apples and oranges.’ Avoid using this idiom to simply describe any two things or any two people that are unalike. This idiom is used when a comparison between two unlike things is being made, not simply to point out that two things are different. For example: “Tom and Brady are apples and oranges. They never get along.” (Incorrect) “You are considering both Tom and Brady for this job? They are apples and oranges. They have completely different skill sets and temperaments.” (Correct) If you just want to say that Tom and Brady are very different, and perhaps frequently in conflict, you might say: They are like chalk and cheese. They dance to a different tune. They are worlds apart. The word compare is not always used. See examples below. Examples Of Use“Comparing his new role to his movie career is like comparing apples and oranges. His new role is a TV sitcom. That’s totally different.” “A chain restaurant just opened in the neighborhood and is taking some of my business. I realize it’s apples and oranges but I wonder if I can learn anything from them?” “Comparing these two presidents is like comparing apples and oranges.” “You’re considering a BMW and a Honda? That’s apples to oranges.” “Yes, I like fishing but only in freshwater. I don’t enjoy fishing in the ocean as much. It’s apples and oranges.” OriginThe earliest known version of this idiom in print appeared in John Ray’s collection of proverbs in 1670 as ‘apples and oysters.’ Other words and other fruit have been used through the years. The current idiom ‘apples and oranges,’ has been used since at least the 1940s. More Idioms Starting with C More Apple Idioms More Compare Idioms More Food Idioms More Fruit Idioms More Orange Idioms |
Compare apples and oranges idiom example
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