AUTHOR: Sir John Fortescue (c. 1394-1476)
: QUOTATION: Comparisons are odious.
: ATTRIBUTION: De Laudibus Leg. Angliæ. Chap. xix.
Cervantes, contemporaneously with Old French aphorism; Cf. early 14th-cent. Fr. comparaisons sont haÿneuses, comparisons are hateful.
If a comparison is sought to be made between two persons of equal virtue and worth resulting in the depiction of one in a bad light, perhaps incorrectly, vis-a-vis the other, then such comparison is frowned upon. This kind of comparison is termed an odious comparison.
The smell of rotten eggs is odious. Who committed the odious crime? He had the odious task of cleaning the stable.
I was very odious to that biy I was very odious to that biy
Odious (adj.) : extremely unpleasant; repulsive; offensive
I'm not sure, but I once said "I think that everyone finds me hateful" and was corrected with, "Do you mean, everyone finds you 'odious'?" Unfortunately, I did not ask for an explanation.
Now THERE's an odious example.
He had the odious task of cleaning out the horse stables.After the boy was killed, everyone wondered who could've committed such and odious crime.
I find the task punishing you most odious.
Nobody would like the odious task of cleaning out a toilet.
The odious worm sandwich was forced into her mouth.
An odious task is one that is deeply offensive and unpleasant, that you would really not want to have to do.