differ

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agree to differ

Of two parties, to mutually accept that they simply do not (and will not) share the same view on a particular issue, in the interest of moving past the issue or avoiding further confrontation. After their discussion about politics intensified, Fred and Sue had to agree to differ before it impacted their friendship. I'm sick of arguing with you, so let's just agree to differ and move on from this issue.
See also: agree, differ, to

beg to differ

To politely disagree with someone else. I'm sorry, headmaster, but I beg to differ. Students at this school should have more access to financial aid and scholarships, not less. He thinks that the evening was a disaster, but I think all those people enjoying themselves would beg to differ!
See also: beg, differ, to

differ about (something)

1. To disagree about something. I'm sorry, but we just differ about that analysis—I don't see how you can interpret the text that way.
2. To argue or debate about something. If you two are going to differ about your interpretations of the text, can you at least take it outside?
See also: differ

differ from (someone or something)

To be unlike someone or something. Can you explain how this car differs from that one? This proposal barely differs from the original one at all!
See also: differ

differ in (something)

To have specific differences from someone or something else. I can tell the twins apart—they differ in that Jim has a birthmark on his cheek. This recipe differs from that one because it doesn't require eggs.
See also: differ

differ on (something)

1. To disagree about something. I'm sorry, but we just differ on that analysis—I don't see how you can interpret the text that way.
2. To argue or debate about something. If you two are going to differ on your interpretations of the text, can you at least take it outside?
See also: differ, on

differ with (someone) about (something)

1. To disagree about something. I'm sorry, but I differ with you about that analysis and don't see how you can interpret the text that way.
2. To argue or debate about something. If you two are going to differ with each other about your interpretations of the text, can you at least take it outside?
See also: differ

differ with (someone) on (something)

1. To disagree about something. I'm sorry, but I differ with you on that analysis and don't see how you can interpret the text that way.
2. To argue or debate about something. If you two are going to differ with each other on your interpretations of the text, can you at least take it outside?
See also: differ, on

tastes differ

Preferences, inclinations, and desires can vary widely between different people. It's true that tastes differ, but I've yet to meet someone who genuinely dislikes this movie and its sequel. A: "It just really aggravates me that Tom thinks the book is stupid." B: "Tastes differ, John. Just let it go."
See also: differ, taste
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

beg to differ (with someone)

Fig. to disagree with someone; to state one's disagreement with someone in a polite way. (Usually used in a statement made to the person being disagreed with.) I beg to differ with you, but you have stated everything exactly backwards. If I may beg to differ, you have not expressed my position as well as you seem to think.
See also: beg, differ, to

differ from something

[for something] to be different from something else. No, this one differs from the one you saw because it has a bigger handle. How does this one differ from that one?
See also: differ

differ in something

[for people or things] to be different in a specific way or in specific ways. They differ only in the color of their eyes and the size of their shoes. They differ in size and shape.
See also: differ

differ (with someone) about something

 and differ (with someone) on something 
1. [for someone] to disagree with someone about something. I must differ with you about that. We differ about that. I don't differ with you on that point.
2. [for someone] to argue with someone about something. Tom was differing with Terry rather loudly about which one of them was going to carry the flag. Let's stop differing with each other on these simple things!
See also: differ

Tastes differ.

Prov. Different people like different things. Fred: Bill always goes out with such stupid girls. I can't understand why. Alan: Tastes differ.
See also: differ, Taste
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

beg to differ

Disagree with someone, as in John told me Max was sure to win, but I beg to differ-I don't think he has a chance. This courteous formula for expressing disagreement echoes similar uses of beg in the sense of "ask," such as I beg your pardon, so used since about 1600. Also see excuse me.
See also: beg, differ, to
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.

agree to differ

or

agree to disagree

If two people who are arguing about something agree to differ or agree to disagree, they decide to stop arguing because neither of them is going to change their opinion. I find some of his views very curious and we've agreed to differ on some things. You and I are going to have to agree to disagree on this issue.
See also: agree, differ, to
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

agree to differ

cease to argue about something because neither party will compromise or be persuaded.
See also: agree, differ, to
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

aˌgree to ˈdiffer

(of two or more people) allow each other to have different opinions about something, especially in order to avoid more argument: Our views on this matter are so different that we’ll just have to agree to differ.
See also: agree, differ, to

I beg to ˈdiffer

used to say politely that you do not agree with something that has just been said: I must beg to differ on this. I think you are quite mistaken.
See also: beg, differ, to
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

differ from

v.
To have qualities that are not the same as those of something else: My results differed from the results of everyone else who conducted the experiment. Sopranos differ from altos in having higher voices.
See also: differ
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

beg to differ

To disagree in a polite manner.
See also: beg, differ, to
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

beg to differ, I

I disagree. This polite conversational phrase uses beg in the sense of “ask” or “entreat,” much as it is in the stock locution “I beg your pardon” for “Excuse me.” This usage dates from the 1300s.
See also: beg, to
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive ?
In keeping with their Congregationalist roots, most of these Separate Baptist churches remained Calvinist in their theology but differed in their polity since they considered each church autonomous and separate from any higher governing body.
The influence of Calvinism on colonial Baptists: an ongoing argument emerging in the past decades of Baptist life revolves around the theological origins of early Baptists generally, specifically in America, and the role that Calvinist theology played in Baptist development
The distributions of PMI applicants by income differed between those seeking insurance for loans to purchase homes and those applying for insurance to refinance an existing loan.
Distribution of credit risk among providers of mortgages to lower-income and minority homebuyers
Thirteen pregnancies per 1,000 resulted in fetal losses or neonatal deaths, but the rate differed substantially by mother's race.
Early prenatal care does not close racial gaps in perinatal mortality
Since residue 225 has also been identified as part of the Ca antigenic site (19), the co-circulating strains possibly differed in antigenic reactivity as well as receptor-binding characteristics.
1918 influenza pandemic caused by highly conserved viruses with two receptor-binding variants
Results indicated that African American and White caregivers differed significantly on the overall need they reported.
A Comparative Study of the Needs and Sources of Support of African American and White Urban and Rural Caregivers of Young Children with Special Needs
It should be noted that the sample paragraphs had the same topic but differed in degree of cohesion and coherence.
Metacognitive knowledge in EFL writing. (Language Teaching & Learning)
For two species out of six tested, the amount of leaf damage from insects differed significantly depending on whether researchers handled plants once a week or left them alone, report James Cahill Jr.
Can visiting a plant ruin an experiment?
Of the eight papers in the volume, those by Dorothy Limouze, who argues that prints by north Netherlandish artists Jan Sadder and Joos van Winghe carried different inflections of meaning for Protestant and Catholic audiences, and Craig Harbison, who proposes that the reception of Hans Burgkmair's woodcut, Naked Christ on the Cross, differed with the varying experiences and beliefs of its viewers in Augsburg, offer the collection's most insightful contributions to the literature.
A Tribute to Robert A. Koch: Studies in the Northern Renaissance
While measurement of unemployment in terms of those who qualify for state unemployment benefits in states with such programs is an obvious example, one of Topalov's most interesting sections concerns the development of unemployment indices based on unemployment statistics the state encouraged unions to collect (although the unions' understanding of unemployment differed significantly from that of state officials).
Naissance du chomeur: 1880-1910
This finding suggests that demand for home purchase loans may have differed significantly between the two groups of neighborhoods.
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act: expanded data on residential lending
The two groups differed significantly in all characteristics but maternal age and educational level.
Blacks have a greater risk of stillbirth than whites following a cesarean, and higher stillbirth recurrence
We performed secondary typing with PGRS for identical IS6110-based DNA fingerprint patterns with fewer than six bands or for patterns with six or more bands that were similar but differed by a single band (10-13).
Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission between cluster members with similar fingerprint patterns. (Tuberculosis Genotyping Network)
When the 378 DNA nucleotides in the ancient specimen were compared to corresponding human and chimpanzee sequences, the Neandertal DNA often differed from the others at sites known to undergo frequent modification.
Neanderthals make big splash in gene pool
The prevalence of most of the sexual behaviors studied differed significantly by sexual orientation.
Lesbians, bisexual women: misperceptions of risk jeopardize sexual health
The clinical characteristics of the Volgograd WN virus epidemic differed somewhat from those of previous outbreaks (1).
Outbreak of West Nile Virus Infection, Volgograd Region, Russia, 1999
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