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REFERENCE

match

US //ˈmætʃ// UK //mˈætʃ// match
  1. 1 sports game (n.)
    A1 Beginner Sport

    a sports competition between two people or teams.

    a formal competitive sporting event between two individuals or sides.

    Example

    We bought tickets for the football match on Saturday afternoon.

    Example

    The championship match was delayed by several hours due to a sudden thunderstorm that left the grass courts unplayable.
  2. 2 fire lighter (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a small wooden stick that makes fire when you rub it against a box.

    a short, slender piece of wood or cardboard tipped with a chemical substance that ignites via friction.

    Example

    He struck a match to light the candles on the birthday cake.

    Example

    In the damp conditions of the cave, they struggled to strike a match that would stay lit long enough to kindle the dry leaves.
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  1. 3 a pair (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    two things that look good together or are the same.

    a person or thing that is equal to, or coordinates well with, another.

    Example

    These socks aren't a match; one is dark blue and the other is black.

    Example

    The interior designer struggled to find a perfect match for the vintage wallpaper, as the original dye had faded over decades.
  2. 4 to look the same (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to be the same or to look good with something else.

    to correspond in appearance, quality, or nature; to be identical or harmonious.

    Example

    Your tie doesn't really match your shirt.

    Example

    The witness's description of the suspect did not match the footage captured by the security cameras at the entrance.

    Usage

    Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively to describe how two things relate.
  3. 5 to find a pair (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to find two things that belong together.

    to find or provide an equal or appropriate counterpart for something.

    Example

    The app helps match volunteers with local charities that need help.

    Example

    The recruitment agency uses an algorithm to match candidates' specific skill sets with the requirements of high-growth startups.
  4. 6 to equal (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to be as good as someone or something else.

    to be equal to another in quality, strength, or achievement.

    Example

    No one can match her skill at playing the piano.

    Example

    Although the new model is faster, it cannot match the durability and reliability of the previous generation's engine design.
  5. 7 computing (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    to find a string of text that follows a specific pattern.

    to satisfy the conditions of a pattern-matching algorithm or regular expression.

    Example

    The search will match any word that starts with 'auto'.

    Example

    The script was designed to match specific error codes within the server logs and trigger an automated alert to the engineering team.

    Usage

    Usually takes a direct object representing the pattern or string.

Etymology 1

From Middle English macche, mecche, from Old English mæċċa, ġemæċċa (“companion, mate, wife, one suited to another”), from Proto-West Germanic makkjō, gamakkjō (“partner, equal”), from Proto-Germanic makô, from Proto-Indo-European mag- (“to knead, work”). Compare Danish mage (“mate”), Icelandic maki (“spouse”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English macchen (“to marry; be paired with”), from the noun (see above).

Etymology 3

From Middle English macche, mecche (“wick (of a candle)”), from Old French mesche, meische, from Vulgar Latin micca (compare Catalan metxa, Spanish mecha, Italian miccia), which in turn is probably from Latin myxa (“nozzle, curved part of a lamp”), from Ancient Greek μύξα (múxa, “lamp wick”).

Idioms6 entries

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