Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - match

~1 n 1 »FIRE« a small wooden or paper stick, used to light a fire, cigarette etc  (a box of matches | strike a match (=rub a match against a surface to produce a flame) | put a match to (=make something burn by using a match))  (I tore up the letter and put a match to it.) 2 »GAME« especially BrE an organized sports event between two teams or people  (a violent incident during Chelsea's match against Liverpool | a cricket match) 3 »COLOURS/PATTERNS« something that is the same colour or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with it + for  (That shirt's a perfect match for your blue skirt.) 4 be more than a match for to be much stronger, cleverer etc than an opponent 5 be no match for to be much less strong, clever etc than an opponent  (Carlos was no match for the champion.) 6 a slanging/shouting match a loud angry argument in which two people insult each other 7 be a perfect match if two people who love each other are a perfect match, they are very suitable for each other 8 make a good match old-fashioned to marry a suitable person 9 »SUITABILITY« a situation in which something is suitable for something else, so that the two things work together successfully + between  (We need to establish a match between students' needs and teaching methods.)  (- see also meet your match meet1 (15), mix and match mix1 (7)) ~2 v 1 »LOOK GOOD TOGETHER« if one thing matches another, or if two things match, they look attractive together because they have a similar colour, pattern etc  (The towels match the color of the bathroom tiles. | sth to match (=something which matches))  (a dining table with four chairs to match)  (- see also matching, -see fit1) 2 »LOOK THE SAME« if one thing matches another or if two things match, they look the same  (Your socks don't match.) 3 »SEEM THE SAME« if two reports or pieces of information match, or if one matches the other, there is no important difference between them  (The witnesses' stories just didn't match. | Traces of blood on the knife matched the suspect's blood-type..) 4 »PROVIDE WHAT IS NEEDED« to provide something that is suitable for a situation or enough for the people who need it  (creating sufficient employment to match the rising population | teaching materials that match the individual needs of students) 5 »FIND STH/SB SIMILAR« to find something that is similar to or suitable for something else  (match sth/sb to)  (We get the children to match the animal pictures to the correct sounds.) 6 »BE AS GOOD AS« to be as skilful, intelligent etc as something or someone else  (No one can match Holden when it comes to winning an argument. | I've never seen a goal to match that one.) 7 well-matched/ill-matched very suitable/very unsuitable for each other  (a well-matched pair) 8 evenly matched if two competitors are evenly matched they are equal in strength, skill, speed etc 9 »GIVE MONEY« to give a sum of money equal to a sum given by someone else  (The government has promised to match any private donations to the earthquake fund.) 10 »MAKE EQUAL« to make something equal to or suitable for something else  (match sth to sth)  (Match your spending to your income.) 11 be matched with/against to be competing against someone else in a game or competition  (Agassi will be matched against Sampras in the men's final) match up phr v 1 if two reports or pieces of information match up, they seem the same 2 (match something up to something) to find something that is similar to or suitable for something else 3 match up to your hopes/expectations/ideals etc to be as good as you expected, hoped etc