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 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. □ His retirement won't make any difference to the way we conduct our affairs.
5 PHRASE 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 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 ] □ For a beach resort with a difference, try Key West.
7 PHRASE 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 prize money? COLLOCATIONS difference NOUN
1
noun + difference : age, gender
adjective + difference : crucial, fundamental, marked, significant; slight, subtle; cultural, genetic
verb + difference : notice, know, tell, understand; explain, show
2
noun + difference : goal; height, price, temperature, time
verb + difference : measure; pay, pocket
3
adjective + difference : irreconcilable; ideological
verb + difference : resolve
dif|fer|ent ◆◆◆ /d I frənt/
1 ADJ If two people or things are different , they are not like each other in one or more ways. □ [+ from ] London was different from most European capitals. □ If he'd attended music school, how might things have been different? □ We have totally different views. ● ADJ In British English, people sometimes say that one thing is different to another. Some people consider this use to be incorrect. □ [+ to ] My approach is totally different to his. ● ADJ People sometimes say that one thing is different than another. This use is often considered incorrect in British English, but it is acceptable in American English. □ [+ than ] We're not really any different than they are. ● dif|fer|ent|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed] □ Every individual learns differently. [Also + from ]
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use different to indicate that you are talking about two or more separate and distinct things of the same kind. □ Different countries specialised in different products. □ The number of calories in different brands of drinks varies enormously.
3 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] You can describe something as different when it is unusual and not like others of the same kind. □ This recipe is certainly interesting and different.
dif|fer|en|tial /d I fəre nʃ ə l/ (differentials )
1 N‑COUNT In mathematics and economics, a differential is a difference between two values in a scale. □ The two countries pledged to maintain the differential between their currencies.
2 N‑COUNT A differential is a difference between things, especially rates of pay. [mainly BRIT ] □ During the Second World War, industrial wage differentials in Britain widened.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Differential means relating to or using a difference between groups or things. [FORMAL ] □ …differential voting rights.
dif|fer|en|ti|ate /d I fəre nʃie I t/ (differentiates , differentiating , differentiated )
1 VERB If you differentiate between things or if you differentiate one thing from another, you recognize or show the difference between them. □ [V + between ] A child may not differentiate between his imagination and the real world. □ [V n + from ] At this age your baby cannot differentiate one person from another.
2 VERB A quality or feature that differentiates one thing from another makes the two things different. □ [V n + from ] …distinctive policies that differentiate them from the other parties. ● dif|fer|en|tia|tion /d I fərenʃie I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ The differentiation between the two product ranges will increase.
dif|fi|cult ◆◆◆ /d I f I kəlt/
1 ADJ Something that is difficult is not easy to do, understand, or deal with. □ The lack of childcare provisions made it difficult for single mothers to get jobs. □ It was a very difficult decision to make. □ We're living in difficult times.
2 ADJ Someone who is difficult behaves in an unreasonable and unhelpful way. □ I had a feeling you were going to be difficult about this.
dif|fi|cul|ty ◆◆◇ /d I f I kəlti/ (difficulties )
1 N‑COUNT A difficulty is a problem. □ …the difficulty of getting accurate information. □ The country is facing great economic difficulties.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you have difficulty doing something, you are not able to do it easily. □ Do you have difficulty getting up?