contrast

con|trast¹ W2 [ˈkɔntra:st US ˈka:ntræst] n

1.) [U and C]

a difference between people, ideas, situations, things etc that are being compared

▪ While there are similarities in the two cultures, there are also great contrasts.

contrast between

▪ the economic and social contrasts between the poor and the rich

contrast with

▪ The marble is smooth and polished, making a strong contrast with the worn stonework around it.

by contrast (to/with)

▪ The birth rate for older women has declined, but, by contrast, births to teenage mothers have increased.

in contrast (to/with)

▪ The stock lost 60 cents a share, in contrast to last year, when it gained 21 cents.

(in) stark/marked/sharp etc contrast to sth

▪ The winter heatwave in California is a stark contrast to the below-freezing temperatures on the East Coast.

▪ The spirited mood on Friday was in sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere last week.

▪ The approach to learning at this school stands in marked contrast to the traditional methods used at other schools nearby.

2.)

something that is very different from something else

▪ The wine used in the sauce is quite sweet, so add dried thyme as a contrast.

contrast to

▪ The red stems of this bush provide a contrast to the drab brown of the rest of the winter garden.

3.) [U]

the degree of difference between the light and dark parts of a television picture, ↑X-ray, ↑photocopy etc

▪ This button adjusts the contrast.

▪ The chemical heightens contrast between different kinds of tissue in the breast.

4.) [U]

the differences in colour, or between light and dark, that an artist uses in paintings or photographs to make a particular effect

▪ The artist has used contrast marvelously in his paintings.

contrast ²

con|trast² [kənˈtra:st US -ˈtræst] v

[Date: 1600-1700; : French; Origin: contraster, from Italian contrastare 'to stand out against, fight against', from Latin contra- ( CONTRA-) + stare 'to stand']

1.) [I]

if two things contrast, the difference between them is very easy to see and is sometimes surprising

contrast with

▪ The snow was icy and white, contrasting with the brilliant blue sky.

contrast sharply/strikingly with sth

(=be extremely different from something)

▪ These results contrast sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia.

2.) [T]

to compare two things, ideas, people etc to show how different they are from each other

contrast sth with sth

▪ In another passage, Melville again contrasts the land with the sea.

▪ an essay comparing and contrasting (=showing how two things are similar and different) Verdi and Wagner and their operas