/mætʃ; mætʃ/
n short piece of wood or pasteboard with a head made of material that bursts into flame when rubbed against a rough or specially prepared surface 火柴
*strike a match 划火柴
* a box of matches 一盒火柴
* put a match to sth, ie set it alight 用火柴点着某物.

/mætʃ; mætʃ/
n
1 [C] game in which individuals or teams compete against each other; contest 比赛; 竞赛
*a `football, `wrestling, etc match 足球、摔交等比赛
* a `boxing match of twenty rounds 二十回合的一场拳击赛. =>Usage at sport 用法见sport.
2 [sing] ~ for sb; sb's ~ person equal to sb else in skill, strength, etc 在技巧、力量等方面与某人相匹敌者; 对手
*He's no match for her (in tennis). （在网球上）他不是她的对手.
* She's his match (ie as good as or better than him) when it comes to chess. 若下国际象棋的话, 她与他棋逢对手.
3 [C] marriage 婚姻; 匹配
*She made a good match when she married him. 她嫁给了他, 成就了美满姻缘.
4 [sing]
(a) ~ (for sb/sth) person or thing combining well with another 相匹配的人或物
*The new curtains are a perfect match for the carpet. 新窗帘配那地毯非常谐调.
(b) ~ (of sb/sth) person or thing similar or identical to another 相似的或相像的人或物
*I've found a vase that's an exact match of the one we already have. 我找到一只花瓶, 和我们已有的那只一模一样.
5 (idm 习语) find/meet one's match (in sb) meet sb who has as much skill, determination, etc as oneself, and perhaps more 遇到不比自己差的对手
*He thought he could beat anyone at tennis, but he's met his match in her. 他以为他打网球所向无敌, 但遇到她却是旗鼓相当. a good, bad, etc match (dated 旧) person considered as a suitable, unsuitable, etc husband or wife 被视为相称、不相称等的配偶
*The young heiress was a good match. 那个继承了大笔财产的年轻女子是理想的伴侣. the man of the match => man. a slanging match => slang v.

/mætʃ; mætʃ/
v
1 [I, Tn]
(a) combine well with (sth), esp in colour 与（某物）相配（尤指颜色）
*The curtains and the carpets match perfectly. 窗帘和地毯十分谐调.
* These curtains won't match your carpet. 这窗帘和你那块地毯不相配.
* (fig 比喻) a well-matched couple 很匹配的一对.
(b) be like or correspond to (sth else) 与（某事物）相似、相称、相符合或相一致
*a brown dress and gloves to match 一件棕色的连衣裙和相配的手套.
2 [Tn] find sth that is like or corresponds to (sth else) 找到与（某物）相似或相称的东西
*Can you match this wallpaper? 你能找到和这种壁纸相配的吗?
3 [Tn]
(a) be equal to (sb) 与（某人）相匹敌
*No one can match her at chess. 下国际象棋谁也比不上她.
* The two players are well-matched, ie roughly equal in ability. 这两人技艺不相上下.
(b) find (sb/sth) equal to sb/sth else 认为（某人[某事物]）能与他人[他事物]相等或相当
*Can you match that story? ie Can you tell one that is equally good, amusing, etc? 你能讲个与之相当的故事吗?
4 [Tn.pr] ~ sb/sth with sb/sth find sb/sth that fits or corresponds to sb/sth else 找到能与某人[某事物]相配合或相适应的人[事物]
*We try to match the applicants with appropriate vacancies. 我们尽量给这些申请者找到合适的空缺.
5 (phr v) match sth/sb against/with sth/sb cause sth/sb to compete with sth/sb else 使某事物[某人]和他事物[他人]竞争或较量
*I'm ready to match my strength against yours. 我已经准备好与你较量力气.
* Match your skill against the experts in this quiz. 在这一测验中你与专家较量一下技巧吧. match up be in agreement; tally 一致; 符合
*The two statements don't match up. 这两种说法不相符. match sth up (with sth) fit sth (to sth else) to form a complete whole 将某物（与另物）拼凑成一整体
*matching up the torn pieces of the photograph 把撕碎的照片拼起来. match up to sb/sth be as good as or equal to sb/sth 与某人[某事物]同样好或相当
*The film didn't match up to my expectations. 这影片没有我想的那么好.