diff --git a/jumpforth.S b/jumpforth.S
index f956aa7..5b0eb14 100644
--- a/jumpforth.S
+++ b/jumpforth.S
@@ -942,6 +942,30 @@ defcode CMOVE_UP,"CMOVE>"
    mov %edx,%esi
    NEXT
 
+/* ( c-addr1 u1 c-addr2 u2 -- -1 | 0 | 1 ) Lexically compare two strings */
+defcode COMPARE
+   mov %esi,%edx
+   mov (%esp),%ecx
+   mov 8(%esp),%ebx
+   xor %eax,%eax
+   cmp %ebx,%ecx
+   jbe 1f
+   mov %ebx,%ecx
+1: mov 12(%esp),%esi
+   mov 4(%esp),%edi
+   repe cmpsb
+   je 3f
+2: seta %al
+   shl $1,%eax
+   dec %eax
+   jmp 4f
+3: cmp (%esp),%ebx
+   jne 2b
+4: add $16,%esp
+   push %eax
+   mov %edx,%esi
+   NEXT
+
 /* ( a -- ) ( R: -- a ) */
 defcode TOR,">R"
    pop %eax
diff --git a/startup.4th b/startup.4th
index deb7599..a537ff5 100644
--- a/startup.4th
+++ b/startup.4th
@@ -1067,16 +1067,6 @@ CREATE DISPLAY-ITEM-LIMIT 6 ,
 : -TRAILING  ( c-addr u1 -- c-addr u2 )
    BEGIN DUP AND-THEN 2DUP 1- + C@ SPACE? THEN WHILE 1- REPEAT ;
 
-\ Return -1, 0, or 1 if the left string is respectively
-\ less than, equal to, or greater than the right string
-: COMPARE  ( c-addr1 u1 c-addr2 u2 -- -1 | 0 | 1 )
-   ROT SWAP ▪ 2DUP U<=> -ROT 2>R -ROT 2R> ▪ UMIN 0 ?DO
-      ( S: u1-u2 c-addr1 c-addr2 R: loop-sys )
-      OVER I + C@ OVER I + C@
-      ( S: u1-u2 c-addr1 c-addr2 ch1 ch2 )
-      U<=> ?DUP IF -ROT 2>R NIP 2R> LEAVE THEN
-   LOOP ▪ 2DROP ;
-
 \ Convert a character to lowercase or uppercase, respectively
 : TO-LOWER  ( ch1 -- ch2 )
    DUP [[ CHAR A ]] [[ CHAR Z 1+ ]] WITHIN IF [[ CHAR a CHAR A - ]] + THEN ;