/ mætʃ; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
FOR LIGHTING FIRES
1.
[ C ] a small stick made of wood or cardboard that is used for lighting a fire, cigarette, etc. :
a box of matches
to strike a match (= to make it burn)
to put a match to sth (= set fire to sth)
IN SPORT
2.
[ C ] ( especially BrE ) a sports event where people or teams compete against each other :
( BrE )
a football match
( NAmE , BrE )
a tennis match
They are playing an important match against Liverpool on Saturday.
to win / lose a match
—see also shooting match , slanging match , Test match
AN EQUAL
3.
[ sing. ] a ~ for sb | sb's match a person who is equal to sb else in strength, skill, intelligence, etc. :
I was no match for him at tennis.
I was his match at tennis.
SB / STH THAT COMBINES WELL
4.
[ sing. ] a person or thing that combines well with sb/sth else :
The curtains and carpet are a good match .
Jo and Ian are a perfect match for each other.
STH THE SAME
5.
[ C ] a thing that looks exactly the same as or very similar to sth else :
I've found a vase that is an exact match of the one I broke.
MARRIAGE
6.
[ C ] ( old-fashioned ) a marriage or a marriage partner
—see also love match
•
IDIOMS
- find / meet your match (in sb)
—more at man noun
■ verb
COMBINE WELL
1.
if two things match , or if one thing matches another, they have the same colour, pattern, or style and therefore look attractive together :
[ vn ]
The doors were painted blue to match the walls.
a scarf with gloves to match
[ v ]
None of these glasses match (= they are all different) .
—see also matching
BE THE SAME
2.
if two things match or if one thing matches another, they are the same or very similar :
[ vn ]
Her fingerprints match those found at the scene of the crime.
As a couple they are not very well matched (= they are not very suitable for each other) .
[ v ]
The two sets of figures don't match.
FIND STH SIMILAR / CONNECTED
3.
[ vn ] match sb/sth (to / with sb/sth) to find sb/sth that goes together with or is connected with another person or thing :
The aim of the competition is to match the quote to the person who said it.
BE EQUAL / BETTER
4.
[ vn ] to be as good, interesting, successful, etc. as sb/sth else
SYN equal :
The profits made in the first year have never been matched.
The teams were evenly matched .
5.
[ vn ] to make sth the same or better than sth else :
The company was unable to match his current salary.
PROVIDE STH SUITABLE
6.
[ vn ] to provide sth that is suitable for or enough for a particular situation :
Investment in hospitals is needed now to match the future needs of the country.
•
IDIOMS
see mix verb
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- match sth against sth
- match sb/sth against / with sb/sth
- match up (to sb/sth)
- match up (with sth)
- match sth up (with sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 2 to 6 and verb Old English gemæcca mate, companion , of West Germanic origin; related to the base of make .
noun sense 1 late Middle English (in the sense wick of a candle ): from Old French meche , perhaps from Latin myxa spout of a lamp, later lamp wick.