n. [ OE. macche, AS. gemaecca; akin to gemaca, and to OS. gimako, OHG. gimah fitting, suitable, convenient, Icel. mark suitable, maki mate, Sw. make, Dan. mage; all from the root of E. make, v. See Make mate, and Make, v., and cf. Mate an associate. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A person or thing equal or similar to another; one able to mate or cope with another; an equal; a mate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Government . . . makes an innocent man, though of the lowest rank, a match for the mightiest of his fellow subjects. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A bringing together of two parties suited to one another, as for a union, a trial of skill or force, a contest, or the like; specifically: (a) A contest to try strength or skill, or to determine superiority; a sporting contest; an emulous struggle. “Many a warlike match.” Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn match was made; he lost the prize. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) A matrimonial union; a marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An agreement, compact, etc. “Thy hand upon that match.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Love doth seldom suffer itself to be confined by other matches than those of its own making. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A candidate for matrimony; one to be gained in marriage. “She . . . was looked upon as the richest match of the West.” Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Equality of conditions in contest or competition, or one who provides equal competition to another in a contest; as, he had no match as a swordsman within the city. [ 1913 Webster ]

It were no match, your nail against his horn. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Suitable combination or bringing together; that which corresponds or harmonizes with something else; as, the carpet and curtains are a match. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Founding) A perforated board, block of plaster, hardened sand, etc., in which a pattern is partly imbedded when a mold is made, for giving shape to the surfaces of separation between the parts of the mold. [ 1913 Webster ]

Match boarding (Carp.), boards fitted together with tongue and groove, or prepared to be so fitted; a surface composed of match boarding. See matchboard. --
Match game, a game arranged as a test of superiority. --
Match plane (Carp.), either of the two planes used to shape the edges of boards which are joined by grooving and tonguing. --
Match plate (Founding), a board or plate on the opposite sides of which the halves of a pattern are fastened, to facilitate molding. Knight. --
Match wheel (Mach.), a cogwheel of suitable pitch to work with another wheel; specifically, one of a pair of cogwheels of equal size. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Matched p. pr. & vb. n. Matching. ] 1. To be a mate or match for; to be able to complete with; to rival successfully; to equal. [ 1913 Webster ]

No settled senses of the world can match
The pleasure of that madness. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To furnish with its match; to bring a match, or equal, against; to show an equal competitor to; to set something in competition with, or in opposition to, as equal. [ 1913 Webster ]

No history or antiquity can matchis policies and his conduct. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To oppose as equal; to contend successfully against. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eternal might
To match with their inventions they presumed
So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make or procure the equal of, or that which is exactly similar to, or corresponds with; as, to match a vase or a horse; to match cloth. “Matching of patterns and colors.” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make equal, proportionate, or suitable; to adapt, fit, or suit (one thing to another). [ 1913 Webster ]

Let poets match their subject to their strength. Roscommon. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To marry; to give in marriage. [ 1913 Webster ]

A senator of Rome survived,
Would not have matched his daughter with a king. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To fit together, or make suitable for fitting together; specifically, to furnish with a tongue and a groove, at the edges; as, to match boards. [ 1913 Webster ]

Matching machine, a planing machine for forming a tongue or a groove on the edge of a board. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be united in marriage; to mate. [ 1913 Webster ]

I hold it a sin to match in my kindred. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let tigers match with hinds, and wolves with sheep. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be of equal, or similar, size, figure, color, or quality; to tally; to suit; to correspond; as, these vases match. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. macche, F. mèche, F. mèche, fr. L. myxa a lamp nozzle, Gr. my`xa mucus, nostril, a lamp nozzle. Cf. Mucus. ] Anything used for catching and retaining or communicating fire, made of some substance which takes fire readily, or remains burning some time; esp., a small strip or splint of wood or cardboard dipped at one end in a substance which can be easily ignited by friction, as a preparation of phosphorus or chlorate of potassium. [ 1913 Webster ]

Match tub, a tub with a perforated cover for holding slow matches for firing cannon, esp. on board ship. The tub contains a little water in the bottom, for extinguishing sparks from the lighted matches. --
Quick match, threads of cotton or cotton wick soaked in a solution of gunpowder mixed with gum arabic and boiling water and afterwards strewed over with mealed powder. It burns at the rate of one yard in thirteen seconds, and is used as priming for heavy mortars, fireworks, etc. --
Slow match, slightly twisted hempen rope soaked in a solution of limewater and saltpeter or washed in a lye of water and wood ashes. It burns at the rate of four or five inches an hour, and is used for firing cannon, fireworks, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being matched; comparable on equal conditions; adapted to being joined together; correspondent. -- Match"a*ble*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

Sir Walter Raleigh . . . is matchable with the best of the ancients. Hakewill. [1913 Webster]

n. A board that has a groove cut into one edge and a tongue cut into the other so they fit tightly together (as in a floor); see match boarding. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A small folder of paper safety matches.
Syn. -- match book. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a box for holding matches. See first match, n. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. any of several plants of the genus Gutierrezia having tiny matchlike flowerheads.
Syn. -- matchweed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A coarse cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]