different

*different as night and day

Cliché completely different. (*Also: as ~.) Although Bobby and Billy are twins, they are as different as night and day. Birds and bats appear to be similar, but they are different as night and day.

See also: and, day, night

(a) horse of another color and a horse of a different color

Fig. another matter altogether. I was talking about trees, not bushes. Bushes are a horse of another color. Gambling is not the same as investing in the stock market. It's a horse of a different color.

See also: another, color, horse

dance to another tune and dance to a different tune

Fig. to shift quickly to different behavior; to change one's behavior or attitude. After being yelled at, Ann danced to another tune. A stern talking-to will make her dance to a different tune.

See also: another, dance, tune

Different strokes for different folks.

Prov. Different people like different things.; Different people live in different ways. My neighbor spends all his free time working in his garden. I would never want to do that, but different strokes for different folks.

See also: folk, stroke

march to (the beat of) a different drummer

Fig. to believe in a different set of principles. John is marching to a different drummer, and he doesn't associate with us anymore. Since Sally started marching to the beat of a different drummer, she has had a lot of great new ideas.

See also: march

sing a different tune and sing another tune

Fig. to change one's manner, usually from bad to good. (Almost the same as dance to another tune.) When she learned that I was a bank director, she began to sing a different tune. You will sing another tune as soon as you find out how right I am!

See also: sing, tune

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(It's) different strokes for different folks.  (mainly American)

something that you say which means that different people like or need different things I've never enjoyed winter sports, but different strokes for different folks.

See a whole new ball game, be chalk and cheese, march to a different drummer, be another different kettle of fish

See also: folk, stroke

a horse of another/a different color  (American)

a situation or a subject that is different from what you had first thought it was You said you didn't like going to the movies, but if you don't want to go because you're broke, that's a horse of another color.

See also: another, color, horse

a whole new ball game  also a totally different ball game

a completely different situation, often one which is difficult or which you know very little about We'd done a lot of climbing in Scotland, but the Himalayas were a whole new ball game.

See also: ball, game, new, whole

be (like) chalk and cheese  (British & Australian) also be as different as chalk and cheese (British & Australian)

if two people are like chalk and cheese, they are completely different from each other I don't have anything in common with my brother. We're like chalk and cheese.

See put down to experience

See also: and, chalk, cheese

be another/a different kettle of fish

if you say that something or someone is a different kettle of fish, you mean that they are completely different from something or someone else that has been talked about Andy was never very interested in school, but Anna, now she was a completely different kettle of fish. I'd driven an automatic for years but learning to handle a car with gears was another kettle of fish altogether.

See also: another, fish, kettle

be two sides of the same coin  also be different/opposite sides of the same coin

if two things are two sides of the same coin, they are very closely related although they seem different Violent behaviour and deep insecurity are often two sides of the same coin. Higher living standards and an increase in the general level of dissatisfaction are opposite sides of the same coin.

See split sides

See also: coin, same, side, two

change tack  also try a different tack

to start using a different method for dealing with a situation, especially in the way that you communicate I've been very pleasant with them so far but if they don't cooperate, I may have to change tack. Instead of always asking him what he wants, why don't you try a different tack and tell him what you want?

See also: change, tack

march to a different drummer  (mainly American) also march to a different tune (British)

to behave in a different way or to believe in different things from the people around you While most of the country supported military action, Santini was marching to a different drummer.

See steal a march on

See also: march

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a different ball of wax

something not at all similar Sports are very popular but the Olympics are a different ball of wax.

Related vocabulary: a (whole) new ballgame

See also: ball, wax

different strokes (for different folks)

different things are done or liked by different people The man walks backward for exercise. Different strokes for different folks!

See also: stroke

know different also know otherwise

to realize that certain information or an opinion is not correct Some people might say the job is easy, but I know different.

See also: know

march to a different drummer

to be different from other people As long as the schools that are marching to a different drummer just serve poor kids, no one really cares how they try to teach their students.

See also: march