Is the following way to say "to give up one thing in order to get another thing" correct and idiomatic?
We should not compromise the existing differences for a unique theory.
Is the above use of compromise and for correct? If not, how else to say what I want to say?
Best Answer
Yes, it's fine.
Your usage of compromise corresponds to definition 2 in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary:
You can add a prepositional phrase headed by for to specify that you compromise one thing for another thing. For does a lot, as the Merriam Learner's Dictionary illustrates; two definitions that fits your use is:
The understanding of exchange comes from the interaction between verb phrase and prepositional phrase. You could compromise something (meaning you lose it), and you could compromise for something (meaning you gain, help, or cause it); compromising something for something defines both what is being compromised and what is gained/helped/caused. So my understanding would be that you don't want your group to go against existing differences in order to help advance a unique theory.
In case that isn't enough, in a Corpus of Contemporary American English search I found several examples of your usage: