Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: SPORT

Sense: 1, 3-7
Origin: Old English mæcca
Sense: 2
Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: meiche 'wick'

match

1 noun
     
match1 S3 W3
1

game

[countable] especially British EnglishDS an organized sports event between two teams or people:
It's our last match of the season.
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

[countable] 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]CC 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 British English 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:
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)
Definition of match from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic SPORT
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