- difference
- noun
1 (C) something that makes one thing or person different from another thing or person(+ between): It's hard to see many differences between the centrist political parties.2 (singular, uncountable) the fact of being different, or an amount by which one thing is different from another: difference in age/size etc: There's not much difference in price. | tell the difference (=recognize that two similar things are different): The twins are so alike, it's difficult to tell the difference. | a world of difference (=a big difference): There's a world of difference between going abroad on holiday and going there to live.3 your/their etc differences the disagreements that people have: have your differences: We've had our differences in the past, but we get on OK now. | settle your differences (=agree not to argue any more)4 difference of opinion a slight disagreement: The two sides have a difference of opinion over aims and methods.5 make a (big) difference/make all the difference to have an important effect on a thing or a situation: Having a good teacher has made all the difference for Alex.6 make no differencea) to have no effect at all on something: Even if you'd tried to help, it wouldn't have made the slightest difference.b) to be unimportant to someone: It doesn't make any difference to me whether you go or stay.7 with a difference used to express approval about something that is different and better: That was a meal with a difference!—see also: split the difference split 1 (8)
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.