compare apples and oranges

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to examine the similarities of things that are completely different Comparing the average wages of workers and managers is like trying to compare apples and oranges.

Usage notes: usually used to explain that two things cannot be compared

See also: and, apple, compare, orange

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Though to compare an Egyptian shwarma to a ShamiAa (Levantine) shwarma would be to compare apples and oranges. Shwarma Al-Reem brings a taste of Jordan to Egypt by Daily News Egypt (Egypt) You cannot compare sickness rates in the NHS with those in the general population - it's like trying to compare apples and oranges. 'ATTACK' ON NHS SICKIES by The Mirror (London, England) I just couldn't put my finger on it - until I realised I was trying to compare apples and oranges, as Dr Jo would say. Football: In the Maine it beats Old Firm by Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland)			comment comment about commiserate with commit commit for commit oneself on commit oneself to commit to commit to memory commode-hugging drunk common common as an old shoe common ground common thread common-or-garden commune with communicate communicate to communicate with commute commute between places commute from some place commute into company compare compare apples and oranges compare notes compare notes on compare to compare with comparison compartmentalize into compel to do compensate for compete compete against compete for compete in compete with compile from complain complain about complain of complain to completely compliment compliment on comply with comport oneself with some manner composed of compound with			Comparative-Historical Linguistics comparatively comparatively comparatively Comparatively Efficient Interconnection comparativeness comparatives comparatives comparatives comparativus comparator comparator comparator comparator circuit comparator method comparator probe Comparator, Geodetic comparator-densitometer comparators comparators COMPARCH compare compare compare compare compare compare compare Compare and Merge Engine Compare and swap compare apples and oranges Compare Bit Lines compare by observing differences compare critically Compare Halfword Compare Infobase Limited compare notes compare notes compare notes compare notes compare notes on compare opinions Compare Register Compare String Byte Compare String Word compare to compare to compare with Compare with X Compare with Y Compare Word String Compare, Increment and Jump on Equal Compare/Contrast compared compared compared compared compared notes compared notes compared notes Compared To What's On Tonight

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