contrast

Word family  noun contrast adjective contrasting verb contrast

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

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con·trast1 /ˈkɒntrɑːst $ ˈkɑːntræst/ ●●○ W2 AWL noun  1  [countable, uncountable]DIFFERENT a difference between people, ideas, situations, things etc that are being compared 差异，差别 While there are similarities in the two cultures, there are also great contrasts. 这两种文化虽然有许多相似之处，但也存在巨大的差异。contrast between the economic and social contrasts between the poor and the rich 贫富之间的经济和社会差异contrast with The marble is smooth and polished, making a strong contrast with the worn stonework around it. 大理石平滑光洁，和周围破旧的石结构形成了强烈的对比。by contrast (to/with) The birth rate for older women has declined, but, by contrast, births to teenage mothers have increased. 较大年龄女性的生育率已有下降，但相比之下少女妈妈的生育率却上升了。in contrast (to/with) The stock lost 60 cents a share, in contrast to last year, when it gained 21 cents. 该股票每股跌了60美分，和去年上涨21美分形成了对比。(in) stark/marked/sharp etc contrast to something The winter heat wave in California is a stark contrast to the below-freezing temperatures on the East Coast. 加州的冬季热浪与东海岸的零下气温形成了鲜明的对比。 The spirited mood on Friday was in sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere last week. 星期五的高涨情绪与上周的紧张气氛形成了明显的对比。 The approach to learning at this school stands in marked contrast to the traditional methods used at other schools nearby. 这所学校的学习方法和附近其他学校所用的传统方法有着明显的不同。2  [countable]DIFFERENT something that is very different from something else 对照物，明显的对比物 The sauce is quite sweet, so add dried thyme as a contrast. 这调味汁很甜，所以要加点干百里香作为陪衬。contrast to The red stems of this bush provide a contrast to the drab brown of the winter garden. 这种灌木红色的茎和冬天里这座花园乏味的棕色形成了对比。3  [uncountable]TCB the degree of difference between the light and dark parts of a television picture, X-ray, photocopy etc 〔电视画面、X光、复印件等的〕对比度，反差 This button adjusts the contrast. 这个按钮调节对比度。4  [uncountable]AV the differences in colour, or between light and dark, that an artist uses in paintings or photographs to make a particular effect 〔绘画、照片中颜色、明暗的〕反差，对比 The artist has used contrast marvellously in his paintings. 画家在他的画作中出色地运用了色彩的对比。n COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa complete/total contrastA complete contrast in building style can be seen in Commercial Road.a sharp/stark/strong contrast (=very great)There is a sharp contrast between the type of people who read the two newspapers.a marked/striking contrast (=very noticeable)I noticed a marked contrast in his behaviour before and after treatment.a startling contrast (=very noticeable and surprising)The big modern factories make a startling contrast to the opposite side of the road.a dramatic contrast (=great and surprising)Alaska is a land of dramatic contrast.an interesting contrastthe interesting contrast between his early and later paintingsa clear/obvious contrastThere was a clear contrast between the father and the son.verbsmake a contrastThe fruit and the meat make a delicious contrast of flavours.draw a contrast (=say there is a contrast)It is tempting to draw sharp contrasts between religion and science.provide/offer contrastThe plant is very attractive, and provides excellent contrast to other plants.highlight a contrast (=make a contrast very obvious)The research will highlight the contrasts between different approaches to taxation.stand in sharp/stark etc contrast to somethingThe mountains stand in stark contrast to the area around them.phrasesin direct contrast to something/somebody (=completely different to something or someone)She’s fun and warm and amusing – in direct contrast to James.in sharp/stark etc contrastWe are still getting some sun, in marked contrast to last year’s everlasting grey skies.

Examples from the Corpus

contrast• Personal selling and sales promotion activities, by contrast, tend to be more effective from Stage 3 onwards. 4.• By contrast, his present legislation is expected to sail through with little more than some scattered shots from the Parti Québécois.• By contrast, the median income of those with IRAs, savings and pension plans is $ 44,500.• The non-Communist forces, in contrast, are scattered.• In contrast to Seldane, Claritin is still considered a very safe drug.• In contrast to the life the researchers had witnessed during their descent, the view was now a barren moonscape.• He's known for his use of contrast in his paintings.• What surprised me was the contrast between Picasso's early style and his later work.• The contrasts between the two men are far more telling.(in) stark/marked/sharp etc contrast to something• Bayfront Park, lined with gently swaying Palm trees, was a marked contrast to the gravity of the day.• His lack of hypocrisy is in sharp contrast to some politicians.• This is in sharp contrast to the approach of traditional neo-classical economics.• Is that not in stark contrast to Labour Members who trade on the squalor and misery of people who are not housed?• Cactus-covered buttes stand in sharp contrast to the blue water, making this an idyllic spot for a getaway.• The kids are mostly minorities; their bleak, impoverished lives stand in stark contrast to the mansions on their maps.• The shares opened at 28p yesterday, in sharp contrast to a high of 233p in August 1988.contrast to• He wore a dark suit and tie, a contrast to the brightly colored shirts he usually wears.con·trast2 /kənˈtrɑːst $ -ˈtræst/ ●●○ AWL verb  1  [intransitive] if two things contrast, the difference between them is very easy to see and is sometimes surprising 形成对照，形成对比contrast with The snow was icy and white, contrasting with the brilliant blue sky. 冰冷的白雪和明媚的蓝天交相辉映。contrast sharply/strikingly with something (=be extremely different from something) 与某物截然不同 These results contrast sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia. 这些结果与在澳大利亚进行的其他医学测试的结果截然不同。2  [transitive]COMPARE to compare two things, ideas, people etc to show how different they are from each other 使成对比，使成对照contrast something with something In another passage, Melville again contrasts the land with the sea. 在另一段落中，梅尔维尔再次把陆地和大海作了对比。 an essay comparing and contrasting (=showing how two things are similar and different) Verdi and Wagner and their operas 把威尔第和瓦格纳以及他们的歌剧进行比较和对照的一篇文章► see thesaurus at compare→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

contrast• It is interesting to contrast gravitation with the other long-range force of nature - electromagnetism.• It is interesting to contrast life in Spain now with what it was like prior to 1975.• The graceful flourish of his handwriting contrasted oddly with the fractured grammar and exotic spelling of his prose.• Her paintings often contrast the mystical activities of women with the rational activities of male scientists.• The guide was contrasting the styles of Monet and Manet.• She has written a book contrasting the two prison systems.• The book compares and contrasts the various methods used in language teaching.• This contrasts with capital market securities, which have maturities in excess of one year.• Now only one pixel in each column must be activated; all the others must contrast with it.• In the film, the peaceful life of a monk is contrasted with the violent life of a murderer.contrast sharply/strikingly with something• The highly charged atmosphere of the House panel contrasted sharply with a similar investigation being conducted in the Senate, where Sen.• This contrasts sharply with chemical Products, by far the greater part of those sales are external.• His lack of charisma and often unhappy persona will contrast sharply with Mandela's awesome humility, humour and stern paternalism.• This is not the first time that Rumsfeld's downbeat caution has contrasted sharply with Powell's greater internationalist team spirit.• Horsley just smiled, his large relaxed frame and confident bonhomie contrasting sharply with the abrupt style of the little self-made Geordie.• He contrasted sharply with the acceptance horn, exemplified by career policemen.• Bruch painted a psychological portrait of the obese that contrasted sharply with the image of the jolly fat person.comparing and contrasting• Our task will be one of comparing and contrasting them.Origin contrast2 (1600-1700) French contraster, from Italian contrastare “to stand out against, fight against”, from Latin contra- ( → CONTRA-) + stare “to stand”

con·trast1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1con·trast2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

etc between a situations, things Corpus ideas, difference people, that

contrast

I

con‧trast¹ W2 AC /ˈkɒntrɑːst $ ˈkɑːntræst/ noun1. [uncountable and countable] 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 something
    The winter heat wave 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. [countable] something that is very different from something else:
    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 winter garden.
3. [uncountable] the degree of difference between the light and dark parts of a television picture, X-ray, photocopy etc:
    This button adjusts the contrast.
4. [uncountable] 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.
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ adjectives
   ▪ a complete/total contrast A complete contrast in building style can be seen in Commercial Road.
   ▪ a sharp/stark/strong contrast (=very great) There is a sharp contrast between the type of people who read the two newspapers.
   ▪ a marked/striking contrast (=very noticeable) I noticed a marked contrast in his behaviour before and after treatment.
   ▪ a startling contrast (=very noticeable and surprising) The big modern factories make a startling contrast to the opposite side of the road.
   ▪ a dramatic contrast (=great and surprising) Alaska is a land of dramatic contrast.
   ▪ an interesting contrast the interesting contrast between his early and later paintings
   ▪ a clear/obvious contrast There was a clear contrast between the father and the son.
■ verbs
   ▪ make a contrast The fruit and the meat make a delicious contrast of flavours.
   ▪ draw a contrast (=say there is a contrast) It is tempting to draw sharp contrasts between religion and science.
   ▪ provide/offer contrast The plant is very attractive, and provides excellent contrast to other plants.
   ▪ highlight a contrast (=make a contrast very obvious) The research will highlight the contrasts between different approaches to taxation.
   ▪ stand in sharp/stark etc contrast to something The mountains stand in stark contrast to the area around them.
■ phrases
   ▪ in direct contrast to something/somebody (=completely different to something or someone) She’s fun and warm and amusing – in direct contrast to James.
   ▪ in sharp/stark etc contrast We are still getting some sun, in marked contrast to last year’s everlasting grey skies.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ difference a detail, fact, or quality that makes one person or thing different from another: We should think about the similarities between cultures, not the differences. | difference between: Try and spot the differences between these two pictures. | The difference between the two cheeses is that one is made from goat’s milk. | difference in: I don’t think there’s any difference in the way you pronounce these two words. | know the difference: He’s speaking Italian, not Spanish. Don’t you know the difference?
   ▪ contrast a very clear difference that you can easily see when you compare two things or people: contrast between something/somebody and something/somebody: What surprised me was the contrast between Picasso’s early style and his later work.
   ▪ gap a big difference between two amounts, two ages, or two groups of people: gap between: There’s a ten-year gap between Kay’s two children. | The gap between rich and poor is wider in the South than in the rest of the country. | age/gender/income etc gap: The age gap between us didn’t seem to matter until we decided to have children.
   ▪ gulf a very big difference and lack of understanding between two groups of people, especially in their beliefs, opinions, and way of life: gulf between somebody and somebody: More riots led to a growing gulf between the police and the communities in which they worked. | bridge/cross the gulf (=improve understanding and communication): The central problem was how to bridge the gulf between the warring factions of the party.
   ▪ disparity formal a big difference between two groups of people or things – use this especially when you think the difference is unfair or may cause problems: disparity between: It is not easy to explain the disparity that still exists between the salaries of men and women. | disparity in: the disparity in wealth between the highest and the lowest employees | the economic/income etc disparity: The economic disparity between the area’s black and white citizens is a serious problem.

II

con‧trast² AC /kənˈtrɑːst $ -ˈtræst/ verb1. [intransitive] 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 something (=be extremely different from something)
    These results contrast sharply with other medical tests carried out in Australia.
2. [transitive] to compare two things, ideas, people etc to show how different they are from each other
    contrast something with something
    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
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ compare to consider two or more things or people, in order to show how they are similar or different: Scientists compared the results of both experiments. | The woman’s body was identified by comparing her teeth with dental records.
   ▪ make/draw a comparison to compare two or more things or people and say how they are similar: In her article, she makes a comparison between people’s lives now and 50 years ago. | It is possible to draw a comparison between the two poets’ work.
   ▪ draw an analogy to say that two situations are similar – a rather formal use: Some people have attempted to draw an analogy between America’s invasion of Iraq and the war in Vietnam.
   ▪ draw a parallel to say that some features of things are similar, especially things that are actually very different – a rather formal use: He draws a parallel between football and religion. | Parallels can be drawn between her work and that of Picasso.
   ▪ contrast verb [transitive] to compare two things, situations etc, in order to show how they are different from each other: In her novel she contrasts the lives of two families in very different circumstances.
   ▪ make/draw a distinction between to say that you think two things are very different: The author draws a distinction between allowing death to occur, and causing it. | It is important to make a distinction between people’s fears about crime and the amount of crime that really happens.
   ▪ measure somebody/something against somebody/something to compare two people or things, in order to judge which is better, bigger, etc: As a young actress, she was nervous of being measured against her famous father. | Murray’s progress is often measured against that of Nadal.