From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmatchmatch1 /mætʃ/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 game [countable] especially British EnglishDSGAME/MATCH an organized sports event between two teams or people It’s our last match of the season.cricket/football/tennis etc match They’re preparing for a big (=important) match tomorrow.match against/between/with the match between Nigeria and Irelandhome/away match (=a match played at a team’s own sports ground, or at a different ground) Good teams win their home matches. McClaire’s goal earned him the title of man of the match (=the person in a team who plays best).2 fire [countable]BURN a small wooden or paper stick with a special substance at the top, that you use to light a fire, cigarette etc a box of matches Don’t let your children play with matches.strike/light a match (=rub a match against a surface to produce a flame) Peg struck a match and lit the candle. I tore up the letter and put a match to it (=made it burn, using a match).3 colours/patterns [singular]CCSAME something that is the same colour or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with itmatch for That shirt’s a perfect match for your blue skirt.4 BETTERBEAT/DEFEATgood opponent [singular] someone who is much stronger, cleverer etc than their opponent Carlos was no match for the champion. This time you’ve met your match, Adam Burns! I’m not giving up without a fight! Guerrilla tactics proved more than a match for the Soviet military machine.5 → shouting match6 marriageSUIT/LOOK GOOD TOGETHER [singular] a marriage or two people who are married They’re a perfect match.a match made in heaven (=a marriage of two people who are exactly right for each other) Claire made a good match (=married someone suitable).7 suitability [singular]SUITABLE a situation in which something is suitable for something else, so that the two things work together successfullymatch between We need to establish a match between students’ needs and teaching methods. → mix and match at mix1(6)COLLOCATIONSverbsgo to a matchI love going to football matches.watch a matchI watched the match on TV.play a matchWe played the match in heavy rain.lose a matchThey lost the match, despite playing very well.win a matchDo you think we'll win our next match?draw a match (=finish with the score even)United have drawn their last two matches.have a match (=be scheduled to play a match)Do we have a match on Sunday?postpone a match (=arrange for it to happen at a later time)Our first match was postponed because of bad weather.miss a match (=not play in a match)He missed two matches because of an ankle injury.level the match (=make the score level)Woods won the last two holes to level the match.clinch the match (=to win a match by scoring a goal, hitting a winning ball etc)Ronaldo clinched the match with a brilliant goal.referee a match (=be the person on the field who makes sure players follow the rules)The matches are refereed by the children's parents.a match kicks off (=it starts)The match kicks off at 3.30 pm.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + match great/brilliant (=very good to watch)We're sure it's going to be another great match.excitingThe match could not have been more exciting.thrilling (=very exciting)There were some thrilling matches at Wimbledon this year.tough (=difficult)At this stage of the competition, every match is tough.close (=with each team playing equally well)Germany won the match, although it was close.an important/crucial matchLuckily, all their players are fit for such an important match.a big match (=an important match)Are you going to watch the big match on TV?a football/rugby/tennis etc matchThere was a rugby match going on on the school field.a home match (=played at the place where a team usually practises)They have won their last five home matches.an away match (=played at the place where the opponent usually practises)This is their last away match of the season.a live match (=shown on TV as it happens)There is a live match on TV every Wednesday evening.a friendly match (=not part of a competition)Fitness is still important in friendly matches.a qualifying match (=to decide who plays in a competition)They won all their qualifying matches.a semi-final match (=between two of the last four teams left in a competition)Spain beat Russia in their semi-final match last night. phraseman of the match (=the best player in a match)Henri was named man of the match.
Examples from the Corpus
match• Doctors failed to find a match for the bone marrow transplant.• Do I fear for her chances of making another match?• A cricket match was in progress on the school sports field.• Furthermore, Gregor Townsend, the 19-year-old fly-half, had an excellent match to confirm he is a player of rich potential.• A fairytale match it is - makes one wish one were young again!• Stores will mix paints so you can get a good match for your curtains.• Chess experts expected Kadparov to win the next match.• a tennis match• The other goal in that match is quite amusing as well when he chips the goalie.• Eric scored the only goal in the match against Albany.• From what I saw of the match he played well.• Are you going to the match tomorrow?• Sir Thomas now welcomes the match that he first feared.• If we win the next three matches, we could still go through to the semi-final.• Female speaker Don't play with matches and don't play near fires.• Keith sprained his wrist in a wrestling match.man of the match• Jim Magilton, who has our vote as man of the match, had the champions at full stretch.• Jim Magilton was made man of the match but for many United fans new keeper Phil Whitehead was the real hero.• Matisse: man of the match?• But for all Warne's good work, my man of the match was definitely Merv Hughes.• Madeley was named man of the match.• It was fitting that Fowler should be the man of the match.• His goalkeeping won him the man of the match award.• Forrester unanimously man of the match in them all.put a match to• He turned on the gas and put a match to the stove so that it could warm the office.• It took her so long to roll the joint, she'd slowed down before she even put a match to it.• On the dunes Angus had put a match to the bonfire which crackled, spat, and flared up.• He broached the matter carefully while Marshall put a match to some logs in the grate.• We put a match to ours and it goes up with a rocket-like roar, heating the yurt in a flash.• Who put a match to the stake, I am in no position to know.match for• Sauvignon blanc makes a perfect match for oysters.more than a match for• You could see that he would be more than a match for some small female saint with no name.• Recaptured, he soon found that the Nuremberg gaol was more than a match for him.• Once Jonadab had threatened physical violence, the son realised that he was more than a match for his ageing parent.• Surely a Leo was more than a match for a Scorpio, nomatterhow deadly its sting.• I suspect his own life was more than a match for the movies, although he did like to imitate Hopalong Cassidy.• These days she was more than a match for his bullying!• The first Christians also knew that divine resources were more than a match for the dark powers.made a good match• Net and Manzi made a good match from the start.matchmatch2 ●●● S3 W2 verb 1 look good together [intransitive, transitive]SUIT/LOOK GOOD TOGETHER if one thing matches another, or if two things match, they look attractive together because they are a similar colour, pattern etc → matching We painted the cabinets green to match the rug. Do you think this outfit matches? a beech dining table with four chairs to match (=chairs that match it)GrammarYou say: Her bag matched her shoes. ✗Don’t say: Her bag matched with her shoes. | Her bag matched to her shoes.2 look the same [intransitive, transitive]SAME two things that match look the same because they are a pair Your socks don’t match.3 seem the same [intransitive, transitive] if two things match, or if one matches the other, there is no important difference between them The suspect matched the descriptions provided by witnesses. Their actions do not match their words.match exactly/closely/perfectly The copy closely matches the original.4 suitable [transitive] to be suitable for a particular person, thing, or situation SYN suit Teaching materials should match individual students’ needs. We’ll help you find a home that will match your requirements.well-matched/ill-matched a well-matched pair5 connect [transitive]SUITABLE to put two people or things together that are similar to or somehow connected with each othermatch something to/with somebody/something Can you name the animals and match them to the correct countries? All checked-in baggage must be matched with a passenger travelling on the aircraft. 6 be equal [transitive]EQUAL to be equal to something in value, size, or quality His strength is matched by his intelligence. Few cities in Europe can match the cultural richness of Berlin. Fancy designer labels tend to come with fancy price tags to match.evenly/equally matched The two candidates are fairly evenly matched.7 make equal [transitive] to make something equal to something elsematch something to something Lindsey matched her steps to those of the other girl as they walked. an attempt to match financial resources to need8 give money [transitive] to give a sum of money that is equal to a sum given by someone else The government has promised to match any private donations to the earthquake fund.9 COMPETE WITH/TRY TO BEATcompetition [transitive] if you are matched against someone else in a game or competition, you are competing against thembe matched against/with somebody Federer was matched against Nadal in the final.Grammar Match is usually passive in this meaning.THESAURUSmatch if something matches something else, they look good together because they are very similar in colour or stylea black suit with a handbag and shoes to matchThe earrings matched her eyes.go with something to look good with something else – Go with is very common in everyday EnglishDo you think that blue wallpaper will go with the carpet?go together if two things go together, they look good when they are worn or seen with each other. Go together is very common in everyday EnglishThat jacket and skirt don’t really go together.The blue and the yellow go together well.complement formal if a piece of clothing or a colour complements something, it makes it look more attractiveA simple string of pearls will complement any outfit.well coordinated/perfectly coordinated if clothes, decorations etc are well or perfectly coordinated, they look good together because they have similar colours and stylesHer outfits are always perfectly coordinated. → match up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
match• Tom's description and mine matched.• You can't go out wearing socks that don't match.• He wore motor-cyclist's leathers underneath, black and shiny, with calf-length boots to match.• For every outfit, Stephanie seemed to have a handbag and shoes to match.• Double check that you have an invoice to match every check.• Teresa got everything to match for the baby's room.• If he loves her, such feelings are changeable; an impulse to match Harriet with disappointed Frank is quickly put by.• She was wearing black high-heeled shoes that matched her skirt and jacket.• Anderson will receive a bonus that matches his base salary.• We shall have to match his fighting spirit, and not let our fear overwhelm us before the first blow is struck.• The town was getting a woozy, criminal feeling that rather matched his own.• I'm looking for a rug to match my bedroom curtains.• Wages won't go up to match prices.• GMI tries to match students with companies that will hire them.• Baltimore's economic performance has not matched that of comparable cities.• The only cars which could match the acceleration of the Ferraris were the Shelby Cobras and Aston Martins.• In the lounge everything matched; the curtains, the sofa, the carpet and the cushions.• Forming alliances with other countries was the only way to match the power of the enemy.• Otherwise, Exe Directory is a way of matching the supply and demand of research ideas.• Match the words on the left with the pictures on the right.• Their performance in government didn't quite match their election promises.• Her eyes tuned in, but her mind could not match them.• Nothing we have ever seen matches this moment.• But its sequences did not match those of herpes strains the researchers have been able to check so far.• This lipstick matches your blouse exactly.match exactly/closely/perfectly• Target words can be matched exactly as spelt or phonetically.• Everything matched perfectly, even her pink beads.• It would gain deposits, matched exactly of course by additional operational balances.• The simplest method of all, where body concealment is concerned, is to match perfectly the colour of the background.• Tailor your list of achievements to match exactly the requirements of your future position, and leave everything else off.• The structure will therefore match exactly what is achieved by the use of ordinary predicative position.evenly/equally matched• Importance of national security considerations Public opinion polls published on the eve of the election showed the two main parties evenly matched.• In strength the two sides were equally matched.• The lobbies behind them were about equally matched.• Their respective economic stopping points may not leave them exactly equally matched.• Sometimes there will be two candidates who are fairly evenly matched and there may be uncertainty about which should be appointed.• Leeds scored through Wallace with 7 minutes to go in an evenly matched game.• Outside, the sexes are more evenly matched, I admit.• When fighting does occur - as when two evenly matched individuals meet - it seldom results in injury.match something to something• We have to match our ambitions to our resources.be matched against/with somebody• Sometimes the whole experimental group is matched with a similar group at the start of the program.• Students selected a career that interested them and were matched with appropriate businesses in the city.• Therefore a certain amount of matching can always take place: contracts to buy can always be matched with contracts to sell.• Opportunity must be matched with desire.• Each strategy was matched against each other strategy an equal number of times.• Answer guide: This states that the costs of earning revenue should be matched with the revenue earned. 6.• Single-year goods are matched with the revenues that they generate.Origin match1 1. Old English mæcca2. (1300-1400) Old French meiche “wick” 