Definition

1. Verb:
   • To make an analogy; to explain or describe something by drawing a comparison between two things that are similar in some way, typically for the purpose of clarification or illustration. This involves identifying and articulating a shared relationship or pattern between different domains.

Usage

• Transitive use (with an object): To analogise something to or with something else is to explicitly state the points of similarity between them.
  • The teacher analogised the human brain to a complex computer network.
  • He analogised the company's growth with the life cycle of a plant.
• Intransitive use (without a direct object): To engage in the process of drawing analogies.
  • When explaining complex theories, she often analogises to make them accessible.

Examples

• In Academic Writing:
  • The author analogises the structure of an atom to a miniature solar system.
• In Everyday Explanation:
  • To help the child understand, the parent analogised sadness to a dark, rainy cloud that eventually passes.
• In Discussion:
  • We can analogise this historical period to the birth pangs of a new era.

Advanced Usage

• "To analogise from X to Y": To derive an analogy, using X as the source domain to explain Y as the target domain.
  • The philosopher analogised from the workings of a clock to the perceived order of the universe.
• Conceptual Use: The act of analogising is a fundamental cognitive tool for reasoning, learning, and creative thinking, bridging the known and the unknown.

Variants and Related Words

• Analogize (verb): The preferred spelling in American English; identical in meaning and usage to 'analogise'.
• Analogy (noun): The comparison itself; the relationship of similarity between two things.
  • He used an analogy between the heart and a pump.
• Analogous (adjective): Comparable in certain respects; similar.
  • The two situations are analogous.

Synonyms

• Compare: To note the similarities and differences between two or more things.
• Likening: Representing or describing as similar.
• Equate: To consider or treat as equivalent (often implies a stronger identity than 'analogise').

Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• Analogise something to something: The most common construction for the transitive verb.
  • Scientists sometimes analogise genetic code to a biological instruction manual.
• Analogise between A and B: To draw an analogy by comparing two items directly.
  • The essay analogises between the rise of digital media and the invention of the printing press.

Related Idioms / Phrases

• Draw an analogy: A near-identical phrase meaning to make a comparison to show similarity.
  • She drew an analogy between learning a language and building a house.
• By analogy: Using the method or principle of analogy.
  • We can understand this new concept by analogy with a familiar one.

Verb

1. make an analogy