Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - same

~1 adj (only before a noun 1 the same person/place/thing etc a) one particular person, thing etc and not a different one  (He is in the same chair every evening. | I'll never make the same mistake again.) + as  (It's hard to believe she's the same age as Brian. | this same person/that same thing etc)  (It is those same people who voted for the Democrats who now complain about their policies.) b) used to say two or more people, things etc are exactly like each other; identical  (It was so embarrassing! Both women were wearing the same dress. | It's the same kind of work, just a different department.) +as  (He gets the same pay as me but he gets his own office. | just/exactly the same)  (If you can ride a pushbike then riding a motorbike is exactly the same thing. It's a question of balance. | much the same (=almost the same))  (The furniture is made in much the same way as it was over 200 years ago.) 2 used to say that a particular person or thing does not change  (Her perfume has always had the same effect on me. | He's the same old Peter, moody and irritable.) 3 at the same time if two things happen at the same time they both happen together  (Kate and I both went to live in Spain at the same time.) 4 the very same/the self same used when you are surprised that someone or something is the same person or thing and not a different one  (It is hard to believe it was in the very same house that Shakespeare wrote his plays.) 5 amount/come to the same thing to have the same result or effect  (It doesn't matter whether she was happy to leave or not - it amounts to the same thing. We need a new secretary.) 6 the same old story/excuse etc informal something that you have heard many times before  (It's the same old story - his wife didn't really love him.) 7 same difference spoken especially AmE used to say that different actions, behaviour etc have the same result or effect  ("I could mail the letter tomorrow morning or send a fax." "Same difference, it'll still not get there on time.") 8 by the same token in the same way, or for the same reasons  (I realise that he hasn't come up with any new ideas, but by the same token we haven't needed any.) 9 be in the same boat to be in the same difficult situation that someone else is in  ( USAGE NOTE: SAME GRAMMAR Remember that same almost always has the or this/that etc before it They wear the same clothes every day (NOT They wear same clothes). | People are the same all over the world | That very same day, Trisha phoned him. In informal spoken English you will hear same used with the left out, but this is not considered correct in writing "I thought the game was really good" "Same here" | "What would you like?" "Same again please." When you are comparing, you always say that one thing is the same as another Bob dresses just the same as his father did. | I go to the same college as you (NOT ... to the same college with).