match

1 noun

1 FIRE (C) a small wooden or paper stick, used to light a fire, cigarette etc: a box of matches | strike a match (=rub a match against a surface to produce a flame) | put a match to (=make something burn by using a match): I tore up the letter and put a match to it.

2 GAME (C) especially BrE an organized sports event between two teams or people: a violent incident during Chelsea's match against Liverpool | a cricket match

3 COLOURS/PATTERNS (singular) something that is the same colour or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with it

(+ for): That shirt's a perfect match for your blue skirt.

4 be more than a match for to be much stronger, cleverer etc than an opponent

5 be no match for to be much less strong, clever etc than an opponent: Carlos was no match for the champion.

6 a slanging/shouting match a loud angry argument in which two people insult each other

7 be a perfect match if two people who love each other are a perfect match, they are very suitable for each other

8 make a good match old-fashioned to marry a suitable person

9 SUITABILITY (singular) a situation in which something is suitable for something else, so that the two things work together successfully

(+ between): We need to establish a match between students' needs and teaching methods. —see also: meet your match meet 1 (15), mix and match mix 1 (7) 2 verb

1 LOOK GOOD TOGETHER (I, T) if one thing matches another, or if two things match, they look attractive together because they have a similar colour, pattern etc: The towels match the color of the bathroom tiles. | sth to match (=something which matches): a dining table with four chairs to match

—see also: matching, —see fit 1

2 LOOK THE SAME (I, T) if one thing matches another or if two things match, they look the same: Your socks don't match.

3 SEEM THE SAME (I, T) if two reports or pieces of information match, or if one matches the other, there is no important difference between them: The witnesses' stories just didn't match. | Traces of blood on the knife matched the suspect's blood-type..

4 PROVIDE WHAT IS NEEDED (T) to provide something that is suitable for a situation or enough for the people who need it: creating sufficient employment to match the rising population | teaching materials that match the individual needs of students

5 FIND STH/SB SIMILAR (T) to find something that is similar to or suitable for something else: match sth/sb to: We get the children to match the animal pictures to the correct sounds.

6 BE AS GOOD AS (T) to be as skilful, intelligent etc as something or someone else: No one can match Holden when it comes to winning an argument. | I've never seen a goal to match that one.

7 well-matched/ill-matched very suitable/very unsuitable for each other: a well-matched pair

8 evenly matched if two competitors are evenly matched they are equal in strength, skill, speed etc

9 GIVE MONEY (T) to give a sum of money equal to a sum given by someone else: The government has promised to match any private donations to the earthquake fund.

10 MAKE EQUAL (T) to make something equal to or suitable for something else: match sth to sth: Match your spending to your income.

11 be matched with/against to be competing against someone else in a game or competition: Agassi will be matched against Sampras in the men's final.match up phr v

match up phrasal verb

1 (I) if two reports or pieces of information match up, they seem the same

2 (match something up to something) to find something that is similar to or suitable for something else

3 match up to your hopes/expectations/ideals etc to be as good as you expected, hoped etc