match
noun
- device for lighting fires
- two items that fit together
- sporting event
- software term for pattern/search result
- match, mate together, couple
- competition
verb
- To agree with; to be equal to; to correspond to
- to pair something
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /mæt͡ʃ/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Ancient Greek μύξα (múxa)bor. Latin myxa? Vulgar Latin micca Old French meschebor. Middle English mecche English match 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”).
- A small wooden stick specially treated with chemicals to produce flame upon contact with another chemical, from the frictional heat produced by striking it against a surface, or both; other similar items made from chemically-treated paper, cardboard, etc.
“He struck a match and lit his pipe.”
- Synonym of taper, a thin stick used to transfer flame, as from tender to a candle.
- Synonym of fuse, a long wick used to transfer flame to an explosive device.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English macchen (“to marry; be paired with”), from the noun (see above).
- To agree; to be equal; to correspond.
“Their interests didn't match, so it took a long time to agree what to do together.”
“These two copies are supposed to be identical, but they don't match.”
- To agree with; to be equal to; to correspond to.
“His interests didn't match her interests.”
“There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.”
- To equal or exceed in achievement.
“She matched him at every turn: anything he could do, she could do as well or better.”
- To make a successful match or pairing.
“They found out about his color-blindness when he couldn't match socks properly.”
“Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.”
- To unite in marriage, to mate.
“[…]Adam's sons are my brethren; and truly, I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.”
“A senator of Rome survived, Would not have matched his daughter with a king.”
- To fit together, or make suitable for fitting together; specifically, to furnish with a tongue and groove at the edges.
“to match boards”
- To be an example of a rule or regex.
“The behavior matched one or more rules and was rejected by an edit filter.”