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match

 [mach]   Example Sentences Origin

match

1   [mach]
noun
1.
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.
2.
a wick, cord, or the like, prepared to burn at an even rate, used to fire cannon, gunpowder, etc.
Origin:
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

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Match is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Example Sentences
  • People pay more attention to facts that match their beliefs than those that undermine them.
  • Check a partial list of companies that match employee gifts.
  • As in a game of musical chairs, polluters must scramble to match allowances to emissions.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

match

2   [mach]
noun
1.
a person or thing that equals or resembles another in some respect.
2.
a person or thing able to cope with another as an equal: to meet one's match.
3.
a person or thing that is an exact counterpart of another.
4.
a corresponding, suitably associated, or harmonious pair: The blue hat and green scarf were not a good match.
5.
Sports.
a.
a game or contest in which two or more contestants or teams oppose each other: a soccer match.
b.
a contest consisting of a specific number of sets: a tennis match.
EXPAND
6.
any contest or competition that resembles a sports match: a shouting match.
7.
a person considered with regard to suitability as a partner in marriage: a good match.
8.
a matrimonial union; marriage: Neither family approved of the match.
COLLAPSE
verb (used with object)
9.
to equal; be equal to: My talent does not match his.
10.
to be the match or counterpart of; harmonize with: The skirt matches the jacket perfectly.
11.
to cause to correspond; adapt: to match one's actions to one's beliefs.
12.
to fit together, as two things: to match the pieces of a puzzle.
13.
to fit (boards) together, side by side or end to end, with a tongue-and-groove or rabbeted joint.
EXPAND
14.
to procure or produce an equal to: Try though we did, we could not match our first success.
15.
to place in opposition or conflict: I matched my wits against his strength.
16.
to provide with an adversary or competitor of equal power: The teams were well matched.
17.
to encounter as an adversary with equal power.
18.
to prove a match for.
19.
to unite in marriage; procure a matrimonial alliance for.
20.
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.
21.
to match coins with.
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
22.
to be equal or suitable: Our talents match.
23.
to correspond; be of corresponding size, shape, color, pattern, etc.: These gloves do not match.
24.
Archaic. to ally oneself in marriage.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English macche, Old English gemæcca mate, fellow

Related forms
match·a·ble, adjective
match·er, noun
un·match·a·ble, adjective
un·matched, adjective
un·match·ing, adjective
EXPAND
well-matched, adjective
COLLAPSE
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Match
Collins
World English Dictionary
match1 (mætʃ)
 
—n
1.  a formal game or sports event in which people, teams, etc, compete to win
2.  a person or thing able to provide competition for another: she's met her match in talking ability
3.  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
4.  a person or thing that is an exact copy or equal of another
5.  a.  a partnership between a man and a woman, as in marriage
 b.  an arrangement for such a partnership
6.  a person regarded as a possible partner, as in marriage
 
—vb (sometimes foll by up) (sometimes foll by with or against) (often foll by to or with) (often foll by with or against)
7.  to fit (parts) together: to match the tongue and groove of boards
8.  to resemble, harmonize with, correspond to, or equal (one another or something else): the skirt matches your shoes well
9.  to compare in order to determine which is the superior: they matched wits
10.  to adapt so as to correspond with: to match hope with reality
11.  to arrange a competition between
12.  to find a match for
13.  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
 
[Old English gemæcca spouse; related to Old High German gimmaha wife, Old Norse maki mate]
 
'matchable1
 
—adj
 
'matcher1
 
—n
 
'matching1
 
—adj

match2 (mætʃ)
 
—n
1.  See safety match 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
2.  a length of cord or wick impregnated with a chemical so that it burns slowly. It is used to fire cannons, explosives, etc
 
[C14: from Old French meiche, perhaps from Latin myxa wick, from Greek muxa lamp nozzle]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

match
"stick for striking fire," late 14c., "wick of a candle or lamp," from O.Fr. meiche "wick of a candle," from V.L. *micca/*miccia (cf. Catalan metxa, Sp. mecha, It. miccia), probably ult. from L. myxa, from Gk. myxa "lamp wick," originally "mucus," based on notion of wick dangling from the spout of a
EXPAND
lamp like snot from a nostril. Meaning "piece of cord or splinter of wood soaked in sulphur, used for lighting fires, lamps, candles, etc." is from 1530. First used 1831 for the modern type of friction match, and competed with lucifer for much of 19c. as the name for this invention.

match
"one of a pair," O.E. mæcca, from gemæcca "companion, mate, wife, one suited to another," from P.Gmc. *gamakon "fitting well together" (cf. O.H.G. gimah "comfort, ease," M.H.G. gemach "comfortable, quiet"), from PIE base *mak-/*mag- "to fit" (see make (v.)). M.E.
sense of "matching adversary, person able to contend with another" (c.1300) led to sporting meaning "contest," first attested 1545. Match-maker "marriage-broker" is attested from c.1639.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases

match

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

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
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