apples and oranges en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic, plural, plural-only) A comparison of items that, however categorically similar, is inapt; an incompatible analogy, or the items so compared; a disanalogy.
It's apples and oranges. You can't convert square meters to linear inches.
So on the one hand, comparing policing issues in Scotland with what is happening in England may be like comparing apples and oranges.
2014 January 17, Kath Murray, “Stop and search in Scotland: record figures need open debate”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 11 Jun 2022:In comparing Britain with other countries, it is important to remember that we are not comparing like with like; there is an apples and oranges issue.
2019 June 11, Rory Stewart, “Sustainable Development Goals”, in parliamentary debates (House of Commons), column 592:
- (plural, plural-only) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see apples, and, oranges.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| apples to oranges | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
oranges with oranges · apples to apples, oranges to oranges · apples with apples · apples to apples
Deriveds
Relateds
noncomparable · coinstantiation · like-for-like · incomparable · uncomparable
Synonyms
night and day · day and night · chalk and cheese
Translations (29)
tr elmayla armut (non-comparable items) · es patatas y apichus (non-comparable items) · mk баби и жаби (non-comparable items) · ca pomes amb peres (non-comparable items) · it mettere tutto nello stesso calderone (non-comparable items) · pl niebo i ziemia (non-comparable items) · sh krȕške i jȁbuke (non-comparable items) · hu almát a körtével (non-comparable items) · fi verrata omenoita päärynöihin (non-comparable items) · it mele e pere (non-comparable items) · es no hay punto de comparación (non-comparable items) · kmr tirr li kû û das li kû (non-comparable items) · nl appels met peren (non-comparable items) · es peras con manzanas (non-comparable items) · es peras y manzanas (non-comparable items) · ro compara mere cu pere (non-comparable items) · sh bȁbe i žȁbe (non-comparable items) · de Äpfel und Birnen (non-comparable items) · sh кру̏шке и ја̏буке (non-comparable items) · fr mélanger des choux et des carottes (non-comparable items) · cs hrušky s jablky (non-comparable items) · fr mélanger les torchons et les serviettes (non-comparable items) · sh ба̏бе и жа̏бе (non-comparable items) · cmn 風馬牛不相及 /风马牛不相及 (non-comparable items) · sv äpplen och päron (non-comparable items) · fr comparer des pommes et des poires (non-comparable items) · it come il giorno e la notte (non-comparable items) · ro compara merele cu perele (non-comparable items) · pt misturar alhos com bugalhos (non-comparable items)