comparisons are odious 📏⚖️
To draw an analogy is offensive; one cannot compare apples and oranges fairly. This term was already so well known in Shakespeare’s time that he was able to make a pun—more accurately a malapropism—of it and be sure it would be perfectly understood (“Comparisons are odorous,” says Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, 3.5). The earliest reference recorded is from about 1430, and there are equivalents in French, Italian, and numerous other languages.
Synonyms
- Apples and oranges 🥑🍊
- Like comparing chalk and cheese 🧀🖍️
- Different as night and day 🌙🌞
- Each to their own 🎨🧩
- Can’t hold a candle to 🕯️💡
Antonyms
- Apples to apples 🍎🍏
- Fair comparison 🏅
- Like with like 💍💍
Related Expressions
- Horses for courses 🏇
- Fit like a glove 🧤
- Different strokes for different folks 🎨
- The grass is always greener on the other side 🌾🏞️
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “Trying to compare these projects is like comparing a rock to a pebble—one’s just a smaller pain in the foot!” 💥👣
- “Comparing my cooking skills to a chef’s is like comparing a firecracker to a firework display. Boom goes the dynamite!” 🍳💥
Proverbs and References
- “To each his own”—Everyone has different tastes and preferences.
- “The pot calling the kettle black”—When someone criticizes another for a fault they themselves mirror.
Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies
- Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare (1598)
- “Elusive Butterfly” by Bob Lind (1966) 🎶 – A song celebrating the futility of comparisons.
- Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726) – A tale full of odd comparisons and contrasts.
- Movie: Forrest Gump (1994) – “Life is like a box of chocolates… " 🍫
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961) – A novel filled with ironic and paradoxical comparisons. 📚
In this whimsical exploration of idioms, clichés, and expressions, we traverse the wild, wacky world of language and savor every delightful bite, from juicy metaphors to crisp, hilarious puns. 🌳
Until next time, remember: when tempted to draw a metaphorical line between apples and oranges, reach for the humor and wisdom woven into our timeless tapestry of words.
✨ “Language is the amber in which a thousand precious and subtle thoughts have been safely embedded and preserved.” —Richard Chenevix Trench ✨
