Match n. 1.A person or thing equal or similar to another; one able to mate or cope with another; an equal; a mate. "Government... makes an innocent man, though of the lowest rank, a match for the mightiest of his fellow subjects."
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." "A solemn match was made; he lost the prize."
(b)A matrimonial union; a marriage.
3.An agreement, compact, etc. "Thy hand upon that match." "Love doth seldom suffer itself to be confined by other matches than those of its own making."
4.A candidate for matrimony; one to be gained in marriage. "She... was looked upon as the richest match of the West."
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. "It were no match, your nail against his horn."
6.Suitable combination or bringing together; that which corresponds or harmonizes with something else; as, the carpet and curtains are a match.
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.
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.
Match wheel (Mach.), a cogwheel of suitable pitch to work with another wheel; specifically, one of a pair of cogwheels of equal size.
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