match

match¹ W3S3 [mætʃ] n

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1¦(game)¦

2¦(fire)¦

3¦(colours/patterns)¦

4¦(good opponent)¦

5 shouting match

6¦(marriage)¦

7¦(suitability)¦

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[Sense: 1, 3-7; Origin: Old English mAcca]

[Sense: 2; Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: meiche 'wick']

1.) ¦(GAME)¦ especially BrE 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 Ireland

home/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)¦

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]

something that is the same colour or pattern as something else, or looks attractive with it

match for

▪ That shirt's a perfect match for your blue skirt.

4.) ¦(GOOD OPPONENT)¦ [singular]

someone who is much stronger, cleverer etc than their opponents

▪ 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 match also slanging match BrE

a loud angry argument in which two people insult each other

▪ The meeting degenerated into a shouting match.

6.) ¦(MARRIAGE)¦ [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]

a situation in which something is suitable for something else, so that the two things work together successfully

match between

▪ We need to establish a match between students' needs and teaching methods.

→mix and match at ↑mix¹ (6)

match ²

match² W2S2 v

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1¦(look good together)¦

2¦(look the same)¦

3¦(seem the same)¦

4¦(suitable)¦

5¦(connect)¦

6¦(be equal)¦

7¦(make equal)¦

8¦(give money)¦

9¦(competition)¦

Phrasal verbs

　match up

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1.) ¦(LOOK GOOD TOGETHER)¦ [I and T]

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)

2.) ¦(LOOK THE SAME)¦ [I and T]

two things that match look the same because they are a pair

▪ Your socks don't match.

3.) ¦(SEEM THE SAME)¦ [I and T]

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)¦ [T]

to be suitable for a particular person, thing, or situation

= ↑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 pair

5.) ¦(CONNECT)¦ [T]

to put two people or things together that are similar to or somehow connected with each other

match sth to/with sth

▪ 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)¦ [T]

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)¦ [T]

to make something equal to something else

match sth to sth

▪ Lindsey matched her steps to those of the other girl as they walked.

▪ an attempt to match financial resources to need

8.) ¦(GIVE MONEY)¦ [T]

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.) ¦(COMPETITION)¦ [T usually passive]

if you are matched against someone else in a game or competition, you are competing against them

be matched against/with sb

▪ Agassi will be matched against Sampras in the men's final.

match up phr v

1.) match sb/sth<=>up

to put two people or things together that are related to or suitable for each other

▪ The employment agency exists to match up graduates and IT companies.

match somebody/something<=>up with

▪ My mother spent her life trying to match me up with various women.

2.) if two things match up, they seem the same or are connected in some way

▪ Their accounts just don't match up.

match up with

▪ The DNA samples found on her body did not match up with a sample taken from the accused.

3.) match up to sb's hopes/expectations/ideals etc

to be as good as you hoped, expected etc

= ↑measure up to

▪ Unfortunately, the product's performance did not match up to the manufacturer's promise.

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HINT sense 1

Do not say that one thing 'matches to' or 'matches with' another. Say that one thing matches another or that two things match.

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