Compare Notes 📝
Ever noticed how fun it is after a movie or seeing something strange when you and your friends “compare notes”? The idiom “compare notes” means exchanging opinions, impressions, or information, originally referring to shared written notes but quickly expanding to include verbal exchanges.
By 1700, the concept was thriving. Richard Steele’s quote from The Spectator in 1712 reveals early evidence: “They meet and compare notes upon your carriage.”
Related & Similar Terms
- Touch base: To briefly meet or communicate with someone.
- Put heads together: Collaborate to solve a problem or understand something better.
- Sync up: To stay coordinated with another person, especially with work or schedules.
- Cross-reference: Look at related material to verify its accuracy or completeness.
- Brainstorm: Generate ideas collaboratively.
Synonyms & Antonyms
- Synonyms: Share ideas, exchange views, communicate, discuss, collaborate.
- Antonyms: Keep to oneself, withhold information, isolate, separate.
Quotes & Proverbs
“A joy shared is a joy doubled, while a burden shared is halved.” – Ancient Proverb
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
Literature & Media
- Books: Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which highlights the importance of exchanging ideas in Lincoln’s cabinet.
- Movies: Inception (2010), where team members must constantly compare notes to achieve their goal.
- Songs: “We Are the World” by USA for Africa, emphasizing unity and collaborative effort.
- Poetry: Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats, indirectly displaying how different perspectives interpret art.
May your journeys of knowledge be punctuated with delightful discoveries and enriching conversations. Keep comparing notes, for therein lies the joy of shared wisdom.
Until next time, S. E. Scribbler
Published October 2023
