26984 words

match

22 definitions • 35 examples
1
a sports competition or event in which two people or teams compete against each other:

Examples:

a tennis match
a football/cricket match
We won/lost the match.
Liverpool have a match with (= against) Blackburn next week.
2
the person who has scored the most points or played the best in a match:

Examples:

The goalkeeper was replaced by an impressive stand-in who went on to win woman of the match.
3
a short, thin stick made of wood or cardboard and covered with a special chemical at one end that burns when rubbed firmly against a rough surface:

Examples:

a box of matches
You should always strike a match away from you.
4
to make something burn:

Examples:

Some of the pages were blackened, as though someone had put a match to them.
5
a person or thing that is equal to another person or thing in strength, speed, or quality
6
to be less powerful or effective than someone or something else:

Examples:

Gibson ran well but was no match for the young Italian.
7
something that is similar to or combines well with something else:

Examples:

The curtains look great - they're a perfect match for the sofa.
8
If two people who are having a relationship are a good match, they are very suitable for each other:

Examples:

Theirs is a match made in heaven (= a very good relationship).
9
to be as good as someone or something else:

Examples:

It would be difficult to match the service this airline gives its customers.
10
If two colours, designs, or objects match, they are similar or look attractive together:

Examples:

Do you think these two colours match?
Does this shirt match these trousers?
a sofa with curtains to match
11
to choose someone or something that is suitable for a particular person, activity, or purpose:

Examples:

In the first exercise you have to match each capital city to its country.
12
a sports competition or event in which two people or teams compete against each other:

Examples:

a tennis/wrestling match
fig. They got into a shouting/shoving match (= they were arguing or fighting).
13
a short, thin stick of wood or cardboard, covered at one end with a material that will burn when rubbed against a rough surface
14
to be similar to or the same as something, or to combine well with someone or something else:

Examples:

[ I ] The shirt and pants match perfectly.
[ T ] Her fingerprints matched the prints that were taken from the crime scene.
15
to be equal to another person or thing in some quality:

Examples:

[ T ] It would be difficult to match the service this airline gives its customers.
16
to be equal to another person or thing in quality, amount, or level:

Examples:

Few people can match his combination of skills.
Results this year may not match last year's.
I'm looking for a job that matches my qualifications and ambitions.
17
to be the same as something else, or to be the same as each other:

Examples:

His actions and his words did not match.
18
to find something that is the same as something else, or goes well with it:

Examples:

match sth against sth Bring a sample of the colour you want to our store, and we will match it against one of our paint colours.
match sth/sb to sth We can help you match the person to the job.
19
to give or offer the same amount of money as has been given, collected, or offered by someone else:

Examples:

It's hard for small stores to match supermarket prices.
The charity will receive federal money to match the first $250 of each contribution.
20
something that is the same as something else:

Examples:

I searched for his name in the database but got the message "No match".
find/make a match Detectives found a match with samples taken from the crime scene.
I compared the two signatures, and they were an exact match.
21
a person or thing that is equal to another person or thing in quality or power:

Examples:

a match for sb/sth The newspaper's new head is certainly a match for the previous editor.
22
to be less powerful or effective than someone or something else:

Examples:

Their computer firewall was no match for the hackers.

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