match

[ mach ]

/ mætʃ /

noun

a slender piece of wood, cardboard, or other flammable material tipped with a chemical substance that produces fire when rubbed on a rough or chemically prepared surface.

a wick, cord, or the like, prepared to burn at an even rate, used to fire cannon, gunpowder, etc.

Origin of match

1350–1400; Middle English macche wick < Middle French meiche, Old French mesche < Vulgar Latin *mesca lamp wick, metathetic variant of Latin myxa < Greek mýxa mucus, nostril, nozzle of a lamp

Words nearby match

matanzas, matapan, mataró, matas operation, matata, match, match plate, match play, match point, match-fit, match-funding

Definition for match (2 of 2)

match ²

[ mach ]

/ mætʃ /

noun

a person or thing that equals or resembles another in some respect.

a person or thing able to cope with another as an equal: to meet one's match.

a person or thing that is an exact counterpart of another.

a corresponding, suitably associated, or harmonious pair: The blue hat and green scarf were not a good match.

Sports.

a game or contest in which two or more contestants or teams oppose each other: a soccer match.
a contest consisting of a specific number of sets: a tennis match.

any contest or competition that resembles a sports match: a shouting match.

a person considered with regard to suitability as a partner in marriage: a good match.

a matrimonial union; marriage: Neither family approved of the match.

verb (used with object)

to equal; be equal to: My talent does not match his.

to be the match or counterpart of; harmonize with: The skirt matches the jacket perfectly.

to cause to correspond; adapt: to match one's actions to one's beliefs.

to fit together, as two things: to match the pieces of a puzzle.

to fit (boards) together, side by side or end to end, with a tongue-and-groove or rabbeted joint.

to procure or produce an equal to: Try though we did, we could not match our first success.

to place in opposition or conflict: I matched my wits against his strength.

to provide with an adversary or competitor of equal power: The teams were well matched.

to encounter as an adversary with equal power.

to prove a match for.

to unite in marriage; procure a matrimonial alliance for.

to toss (coins) into the air and then compare the matching or contrasting sides that land facing up, as for determining the winner of a bet.

to match coins with.

verb (used without object)

to be equal or suitable: Our talents match.

to correspond; be of corresponding size, shape, color, pattern, etc.: These gloves do not match.

Archaic. to ally oneself in marriage.

Origin of match

before 900; Middle English macche, Old English gemæcca mate, fellow

OTHER WORDS FROM match

match·a·ble, adjective match·er, noun un·match·a·ble, adjective un·matched, adjective

un·match·ing, adjective well-matched, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for match

Part of the problem is the mandate of the war and the means with which the U.S. is fighting it do not match up.

Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War |Nancy A. Youssef |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
We can also begin to plan our wardrobes to match our new and improved selves.

What, and Who, You'll Be Wearing in 2015 |Justin Jones |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When he is awarded Player of the Match while competing for India in England, he is given champagne at the ceremony.

The Story of the World’s Greatest Cricket Player |William O’Connor |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The trouble is, Pakistan kept losing its wars with India and is indeed no match for India.

CIA Agents Assess: How Real Is ‘Homeland’? |Chuck Cogan, John MacGaffin |December 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

A season of Game of Thrones tells its story over ten hours, and only a video game adaptation could match or exceed that.

‘Game of Thrones’ Interactive FanFiction: Whoops, My Friend Was Speared in the Throat |Alec Kubas-Meyer |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Lockley noted that the human confederates of the monsters had no protection against the beam to match his own.

Operation Terror |William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Or, if you will, like so many ant-hills of powder, they all stand before me; and I their match.

Moby Dick; or The Whale |Herman Melville
He had edited the Alcestis, and married his laundress; lost money by his edition, and his fellowship by his match.

Vivian Grey |Earl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
With Bentley in the condition he is he would be no match for Manape.

Astounding Stories, June, 1931 |Various
About a week before the Thirds "the Bull" was discussing the match in the dormitories.

The Loom of Youth |Alec Waugh

British Dictionary definitions for match (1 of 2)

match ¹

/ (mætʃ) /

noun

a formal game or sports event in which people, teams, etc, compete to win

a person or thing able to provide competition for another she's met her match in talking ability

a person or thing that resembles, harmonizes with, or is equivalent to another in a specified respect that coat is a good match for your hat

a person or thing that is an exact copy or equal of another

a partnership between a man and a woman, as in marriage
an arrangement for such a partnership

a person regarded as a possible partner, as in marriage

verb (mainly tr)

to fit (parts) together to match the tongue and groove of boards

(also intr sometimes foll by up) to resemble, harmonize with, correspond to, or equal (one another or something else) the skirt matches your shoes well

(sometimes foll by with or against) to compare in order to determine which is the superior they matched wits

(often foll by to or with) to adapt so as to correspond with to match hope with reality

(often foll by with or against) to arrange a competition between

to find a match for

electronics to connect (two circuits) so that their impedances are equal or are equalized by a coupling device, to produce a maximum transfer of energy

Derived forms of match

matchable, adjective matcher, noun matching, adjective

Word Origin for match

Old English gemæcca spouse; related to Old High German gimmaha wife, Old Norse maki mate

British Dictionary definitions for match (2 of 2)

match ²

/ (mætʃ) /

noun

a thin strip of wood or cardboard tipped with a chemical that ignites by friction when rubbed on a rough surface or a surface coated with a suitable chemical See safety match

a length of cord or wick impregnated with a chemical so that it burns slowly. It is used to fire cannons, explosives, etc

Word Origin for match

C14: from Old French meiche, perhaps from Latin myxa wick, from Greek muxa lamp nozzle

Idioms and Phrases with match

match

see meet one's match; mix and match; whole ball of wax (shooting match).

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

match

noun

Origin of match

Words nearby match

Definition for match (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of match

OTHER WORDS FROM match

Example sentences from the Web for match

British Dictionary definitions for match (1 of 2)

noun

verb (mainly tr)

Derived forms of match

Word Origin for match

British Dictionary definitions for match (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for match

Idioms and Phrases with match

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

match

noun

Origin of match

Words nearby match

Definition for match (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of match

OTHER WORDS FROM match

Words related to match

Example sentences from the Web for match

British Dictionary definitions for match (1 of 2)

noun

verb (mainly tr)

Derived forms of match

Word Origin for match

British Dictionary definitions for match (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for match

Idioms and Phrases with match