Webster's English Dictionary

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match

1. match \'mach\ n [ME macche, fr. OE mcca; akin to OE macian to make 
   -m more at MAKE 1a: a person or thing equal or similar to another  1b: one 
   able to cope with another  1c: an exact counterpart  2: a pair suitably 
   associated {carpet and curtains are a ~}  3: a process of matching; esp : a 
   contest between two or more parti es 4a: a marriage union  4b: a 
   prospective partner in marriage 
2. match vt 1a: to encounter successfully as an antagonist  1b1: to set in 
   competition with or opposition to {~ing his s trength against his enemy's} 
   1b2: to provide with a worthy competitor  1c: to set in comparison with  2: 
   to join or give in marriage  3a1: to put in a set possessing equal or 
   harmonizing attributes  3a2: to cause to correspond : SUIT  3b1: to be the 
   counterpart of  3b2: to harmonize with  3c: to provide with a counterpart  
   4: to fit together or make suitable for fitting together  5a: to flip or 
   toss (coins) and compare exposed faces  5b: to toss coins with  : to be a 
   counterpart  - match.er n
3. match n [ME macche, fr. MF meiche] 1: a chemically prepared wick or cord 
   formerly used in firing firearms or p owder 2: a short slender piece of 
   wood or other flammable material tipped with a  combustible mixture that 
   bursts into flame through friction (as by being scratched against a rough 
   surface)