the way in which two or more things which you are comparing are not the same
تفاوت
What's the difference between an ape and a monkey?
Oxford Essential Dictionary
difference
noun
the way that one thing is not the same as another thing:
What's the difference between this computer and that cheaper one?
What's the difference in price between these two bikes?
Sarah looks exactly like her sister – I can't tell the difference between them.
make a difference to change or have an effect on somebody or something:
Marriage made a big difference to her life.
make no difference, not make any difference to not change anything; to not be important:
It makes no difference to us if the baby is a girl or a boy.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
difference
dif‧fe‧rence S1 W1 /ˈdɪfərəns/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑differ, ↑differentiate; noun: ↑difference, ↑differentiation; adverb: ↑differently; adjective: ↑different]
1. [uncountable and countable] a way in which two or more people or things are not like each other OPP similarity
difference between
There’s a big difference between knowing that something is true, and being able to prove it.
There is very little difference between the parties on green issues.
Do children know the difference between right and wrong?
difference in
Researchers found a number of important differences in the way boys and girls learn.
There’s a world of difference (=there’s a very big difference) between being alone and being lonely.
2. [singular, uncountable] the amount by which one thing is greater or smaller than another
difference in age/size etc
There’s not much difference in price.
There’s a five-hour time difference between London and New York. ⇨ split the difference at ↑split1(9)
3. make a/the difference to have an important effect or influence on something or someone:
Whatever she did, it made no difference.
make a/the difference to
One more person wouldn’t make any difference to the arrangements.
make a/the difference between
It could make the difference between missing your train and getting to work on time.
Having a good teacher has made all the difference for Alex (=had an important influence).
4. it makes no difference to somebody used to say that it does not matter to someone which thing happens, is chosen etc:
Morning or afternoon. It makes no difference to me.
5. our/your/their differences disagreements:
We’ve had our differences in the past.
settle/resolve your differences (=agree not to argue any more)
6. difference of opinion a slight disagreement:
There have been some differences of opinion as to exactly how the money should be spent.
7. with a difference informal used to describe something which is interesting or unusual, especially in a good way:
an adventure holiday with a difference
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
difference
dif·fer·ence [difference differences] [ˈdɪfrəns] [ˈdɪfrəns] noun
1. countable, uncountable ~ (between A and B) | ~ (in sth) the way in which two people or things are not like each other; the way in which sb/sth has changed
• There are no significant differences between the education systems of the two countries.
• He was studying the complex similarities and differences between humans and animals.
• There's no difference in the results.
• I can never tell the difference (= distinguish) between the twins
• She noticed a marked difference in the children on her second visit.
• There's a world of difference between liking someone and loving them.
• What a difference! You look great with your hair like that.
Opp: similarity
2. singular, uncountable ~ (in sth) (between A and B) the amount that sth is greater or smaller than sth else
• There's not much difference in price between the two computers.
• There's an age difference of six years between the boys (= one is six years older than the other).
• I'll lend you £500 and you'll have to find the difference (= the rest of the money that you need).
• We measured the difference in temperature.
3. countable a disagreement between people
• We have our differences, but she's still my sister.
• Why don't you settle your differences and be friends again?
• There was a difference of opinion over who had won.
more at bury your differences at bury, sink your differences at sink v., split the difference at split v., a/the world of difference at world
Idioms: make a/no/some difference ▪ make all the difference ▪ same difference ▪ with a difference
Word Origin:
Middle English: via Old French from Latin differentia ‘difference’, from different- ‘carrying away’, from the verb differre, from dis- ‘from, away’ + ferre ‘bring, carry’.
Thesaurus:
difference noun C, U
• There are significant differences between the two systems.
contrast • • variation • • distinction • |formal disparity • • variance • • divergence • |technical imbalance •
Opp: similarity
a difference/contrast/variation/distinction/disparity/variance/divergence/imbalance between A and B
a difference/contrast/variation/disparity/variance/divergence/imbalance in sth
show a difference/contrast/variation/distinction/disparity/variance/divergence/imbalance
see/be aware of/look at a difference/contrast/variation/distinction
Language Bank:
contrast
Highlighting differences
▪ This survey highlights a number of differences in ▪ the way that teenage boys and girls in the UK spend their free time.
One of the main differences between ▪ the girls and ▪ the boys who took part in the research was the way in which they use the Internet.
Unlike ▪ the girls, who use the Internet mainly to keep in touch with friends, the boys questioned in this survey tend to use the Internet for playing computer games.
▪ The girls differ from ▪ the boys in that ▪ they tend to spend more time keeping in touch with friends on the telephone or on social networking websites.
Compared to ▪ the boys, the girls spend much more time chatting to friends on the telephone.
▪ On average the girls spend four hours a week chatting to friends on the phone. In contrast ▪, very few of the boys spend more than five minutes a day talking to their friends in this way.
▪ The boys prefer competitive sports and computer games, whereas ▪ / while ▪ the girls seem to enjoy more cooperative activities, such as shopping with friends.
▪ When the girls go shopping, they mainly buy clothes and cosmetics. The boys, on the other hand ▪, tend to purchase computer games or gadgets.
Language Banks at generally, illustrate, proportion, similarly, surprising
Example Bank:
• A small number of additional jobs can make a crucial difference to economic conditions.
• Although the talks were generally successful, differences remain between the groups.
• Can you spot the difference between these two photos?
• Differences may arise when the young people do not have the same expectations as their parents.
• He didn't have enough money, but his aunt agreed to make up the difference.
• He sold the car for more than he'd paid and pocketed the difference.
• He was very aware of his difference from the other children.
• I found very little difference in price.
• I noticed a real difference in his attitude.
• I wanted to leave early and Ian wanted to leave late, so we split the difference and left at noon.
• If you decide on the more expensive model, you can bring this one back and pay the difference.
• If you want a holiday with a difference, come to Iceland.
• It's difficult to tell the difference between butterflies and moths.
• Just five minutes' exercise a day could make all the difference.
• Like any married couple, we have our differences.
• One tiny mistake when you're climbing could mean the difference between life and death.
• Only an expert would know the difference between the male and the female.
• Our different attitudes to life reflect the differences in our backgrounds.
• She and Luke had a difference of opinion over how much money they should spend.
• The difference in price is not very significant.
• The difference lies in the way the fruit is prepared.
• The difference with this information service is that it's free.
• The differences in size arise from the amount of sunshine each plant gets.
• The extra money will make a lot of difference to us.
• The new central heating has made an enormous difference to the house.
• The questionnaire showed vast differences in what kind of product people want.
• The study explores the differences between the way girls and boys talk.
• There are few important policy differences among the main parties.
• There is a striking difference between eastern and western Europe.
• There is one key difference with the earlier version of the software.
• There were some differences as to how to deal with the crisis.
• There's a big difference between reading about skiing and doing it yourself.
• There's all the difference in the world between choosing to do something and being forced to do it.
• There's not much difference between baseball and softball.
• These talks aim to resolve the outstanding differences between the two sides.
• They have had some minor differences, but in general they get on well together.
• We found no significant difference between the two groups.
• We should be focusing on what we have in common rather than emphasizing our differences.
• We're going to get the two sides together to see if they can't settle their differences.
• What difference does it make if he doesn't have a car?
• What's the time difference between London and Tokyo?
• a crucial difference of emphasis
• I can never tell the difference between the twins.
• I'll lend you £500 and you'll have to find the difference.
• There's a world of difference between liking someone and loving them.
• There's an age difference of six years between the two boys.
• There's not much difference in price between the two computers.
• We have our differences, but she's still my sister.
• What a difference! You look great with your hair like that
• Why don't you settle your differences and be friends again?
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
difference / ˈdɪf. ə r. ə ns / / -ɚ- / noun (NOT THE SAME)
A2 [ C or U ] the way in which two or more things which you are comparing are not the same:
What's the difference between an ape and a monkey?
Is there any significant difference in quality between these two items?
make a (big) difference B2 ( also make all the difference ) to improve a situation (a lot):
Exercise can make a big difference to your state of health.
Putting up some new wallpaper has made all the difference to the place.
not make any difference B2 ( also not make the slightest difference ) to not change a situation in any way:
You can ask him again if you like, but it won't make any difference - he'll still say no.
It makes no difference wh ere you put the aerial, the TV picture's still lousy.
with a difference describes something unusual, and more interesting or better than other things of the same type:
Try new Cremetti - the ice cream with a difference.
Word partners for difference
know / tell the difference • a big / important / major / vast difference • a basic / fundamental difference • a marked / obvious difference • a slight / subtle difference • a difference in sth • a difference between [two things]
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
difference
[dɪ̱frəns]
♦♦
differences
1) N-COUNT: usu N prep The difference between two things is the way in which they are unlike each other.
That is the fundamental difference between the two societies...
There is no difference between the sexes.
...the vast difference in size...
We do have social problems here. The difference is the people know each other and try to help each other.
2) N-SING A difference between two quantities is the amount by which one quantity is less than the other.
The difference is 8532.
3) N-COUNT: usu pl, oft poss N If people have their differences about something, they disagree about it.
The two communities are learning how to resolve their differences.
4) PHRASE: V inflects If something makes a difference or makes a lot of difference, it affects you and helps you in what you are doing. If something makes no difference, it does not have any effect on what you are doing.
Where you live can make such a difference to the way you feel...
Exercise makes all the difference...
It is sad to see him go but it won't make any difference to the way we conduct our affairs.
5) PHRASE: V inflects If you split the difference with someone, you agree on an amount or price which is halfway between two suggested amounts or prices.
Shall we split the difference and say $7,500?
6) PHRASE: n PHR If you describe a job or holiday, for example, as a job with a difference or a holiday with a difference, you mean that the job or holiday is very interesting and unusual. [INFORMAL]
When she starts work on Monday it will be in a job with a difference - she'll be her own boss.
...a politician with a difference.
7) PHRASE: difference inflects If there is a difference of opinion between two or more people or groups, they disagree about something.
Was there a difference of opinion over what to do with the Nobel Prize money?
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
difference
dif·fer·ence /ˈdɪfrəns/ noun, pl -enc·es
1 : the quality that makes one person or thing unlike another
[noncount]
• She knows the difference between right and wrong.
• There's no difference between the two houses. They look exactly the same.
[singular]
• There's a striking difference in the sisters' looks. [=they look very different from each other]
✦To tell the difference between two people or things is to see how they are unlike each other.
• It's hard to tell the difference [=distinguish] between one action movie and another.
• The new version is supposed to be much better than the old one, but I can't tell the difference (between them).
2 [count] : something that people do not agree about : a disagreement in opinion
• They've always had their differences. [=they have always disagreed about some things]
• The debate gave them a chance to air their differences. [=to discuss the things that they disagree about]
• We need to find a way to resolve/settle our differences. [=to stop disagreeing, arguing, etc.]
• There seems to be a difference of opinion [=people disagree] about what we should do next.
• They divorced because of irreconcilable differences. [=serious disagreements that they were not able to settle]
3 [count] : the degree or amount by which things differ
• There's a big difference in price.
• There's a 15-year age difference between her oldest and youngest children. [=her oldest child is fifteen years older than her youngest child]
make a difference
1 : to cause a change : to be important in some way
• Cost can make a difference in deciding on a college.
• “When would you like to leave?” “It makes no difference (to me).” [=it doesn't matter to me; I don't care]
• The weather didn't make any difference in our plans. [=didn't change our plans]
• It would make a lot of difference if you came.
• Your help made a big difference.
• It makes very little difference. [=it matters very little]
• The size of the engine can make all the difference. [=can be very important; can matter most]
• It may not matter to you, but it makes all the difference in the world to me. = It makes a world of difference to me. [=it matters very much to me]
2 : to do something that is important : to do something that helps people or makes the world a better place
• She says that she got into politics because she wanted to make a difference.
same difference chiefly US informal
- used to say that two things are not really different in any important way
• “They lost 100 games last year.” “Actually, they only lost 96 games.” “Same difference. The point is, they were awful.”
split the difference
- see 1split
what's the difference?
1
- used to ask how one thing is different from another
• “I like this one a lot more than that one.” “Why? What's the difference (between them)?”
2 or what difference does it/that make?
- used to ask why something is important or to suggest that something is not important
• What's the difference whether I go or not?
• What difference does it make [=what does it matter] if I go with you?