Match vs. Mate

Matchnoun

(sports) A competitive sporting event such as a boxing meet, a baseball game, or a cricket match.

‘My local team are playing in a match against their arch-rivals today.’;

Matenoun

A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.

Matchnoun

Any contest or trial of strength or skill, or to determine superiority.

Matenoun

(especially of a non-human animal) A breeding partner.

Matchnoun

Someone with a measure of an attribute equaling or exceeding the object of comparison.

‘He knew he had met his match.’;

Matenoun

A friend, usually of the same sex.

‘I'm going to the pub with a few mates.’; ‘He's my best mate.’;

Matchnoun

A marriage.

Matenoun

a colloquial "sir"; an informal and friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age

‘Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?’;

Matchnoun

A candidate for matrimony; one to be gained in marriage.

Matenoun

(nautical) In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. Boatswain's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Sailmaker's Mate, etc).

Matchnoun

Suitability.

Matenoun

(nautical) A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.

Matchnoun

Equivalence; a state of correspondence.

Matenoun

(nautical) A first mate.

Matchnoun

Equality of conditions in contest or competition.

Matenoun

A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice.

Matchnoun

A pair of items or entities with mutually suitable characteristics.

‘The carpet and curtains are a match.’;

Matenoun

The other member of a matched pair of objects.

‘I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate.’;

Matchnoun

An agreement or compact.

Matenoun

A suitable companion; a match; an equal.

Matchnoun

(metalworking) A perforated board, block of plaster, hardened sand, etc., in which a pattern is partly embedded when a mould is made, for giving shape to the surfaces of separation between the parts of the mould.

Matenoun

(chess) Short for checkmate.

Matchnoun

A device made of wood or paper, at the tip coated with chemicals that ignite with the friction of being dragged (struck) against a rough dry surface.

‘He struck a match and lit his cigarette.’;

Matenoun

alternative spelling of maté|nodot=1, an aromatic tea-like drink prepared from the holly yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis).

Matchverb

(intransitive) To agree; to be equal; to correspond.

‘Their interests didn't match, so it took a long time to agree what to do together.’; ‘These two copies are supposed to be identical, but they don't match.’;

Matenoun

The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea

Matchverb

(transitive) To agree with; to be equal to; to correspond to.

‘His interests didn't match her interests.’;

Mateverb

(intransitive) To match, fit together without space between.

‘The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly.’;

Matchverb

(transitive) To make a successful match or pairing.

‘They found out about his color-blindness when he couldn't match socks properly.’;

Mateverb

(intransitive) To copulate.

Matchverb

(transitive) To equal or exceed in achievement.

‘She matched him at every turn: anything he could do, she could do as well or better.’;

Mateverb

(intransitive) To pair in order to raise offspring

Matchverb

(obsolete) To unite in marriage, to mate.

Mateverb

(transitive) To arrange in matched pairs.

Matchverb

To fit together, or make suitable for fitting together; specifically, to furnish with a tongue and groove at the edges.

‘to match boards’;

Mateverb

(transitive) To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding.

Matchnoun

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.

Mateverb

To copulate with.

Matchnoun

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.’;

Mateverb

(transitive) To marry; to match (a person).

Matchnoun

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

‘A solemn match was made; he lost the prize.’;

Mateverb

(transitive) To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.

Matchnoun

A matrimonial union; a marriage.

Mateverb

(transitive) To fit (objects) together without space between.

Matchnoun

An agreement, compact, etc.

‘Love doth seldom suffer itself to be confined by other matches than those of its own making.’;

Mateverb

To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.

Matchnoun

A candidate for matrimony; one to be gained in marriage.

Mateverb

(intransitive) To win a game of chess by putting the opponent in checkmate

Matchnoun

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.’;

Mateverb

To confuse; to confound.

Matchnoun

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

Matenoun

The Paraguay tea, being the dried leaf of the Brazilian holly (Ilex Paraguensis). The infusion has a pleasant odor, with an agreeable bitter taste, and is much used for tea in South America.

Matchnoun

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.

Matenoun

Same as Checkmate.

Matchverb

To be a mate or match for; to be able to complete with; to rival successfully; to equal.

‘No settled senses of the world can matchThe pleasure of that madness.’;

Matenoun

One who customarily associates with another; a companion; an associate; any object which is associated or combined with a similar object.

Matchverb

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.

‘No history or antiquity can matchis policies and his conduct.’;

Matenoun

Hence, specifically, a husband or wife; and among the lower animals, one of a pair associated for propagation and the care of their young.

Matchverb

To oppose as equal; to contend successfully against.

‘Eternal mightTo match with their inventions they presumedSo easy, and of his thunder made a scorn.’;

Matenoun

A suitable companion; a match; an equal.

‘Ye knew me once no mateFor you; there sitting where you durst not soar.’;

Matchverb

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.

Matenoun

An officer in a merchant vessel ranking next below the captain. If there are more than one bearing the title, they are called, respectively, first mate, second mate, third mate, etc. In the navy, a subordinate officer or assistant; as, master's mate; surgeon's mate.

Matchverb

To make equal, proportionate, or suitable; to adapt, fit, or suit (one thing to another).

‘Let poets match their subject to their strength.’;

Mateadjective

See 2d Mat.

Matchverb

To marry; to give in marriage.

‘A senator of Rome survived,Would not have matched his daughter with a king.’;

Mateverb

To confuse; to confound.

Matchverb

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.

Mateverb

To checkmate.

Matchverb

To be united in marriage; to mate.

‘I hold it a sin to match in my kindred.’; ‘Let tigers match with hinds, and wolves with sheep.’;

Mateverb

To match; to marry.

‘If she be mated with an equal husband.’;

Matchverb

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

Mateverb

To match one's self against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.

‘There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death.’; ‘I, . . . in the way of loyalty and truth, . . .Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be.’;

Matchnoun

lighter consisting of a thin piece of wood or cardboard tipped with combustible chemical; ignites with friction;

‘he always carries matches to light his pipe’;

Mateverb

To breed; to bring (animals) together for the purpose of breeding; as, she mated a doberman with a German shepherd.

Matchnoun

a formal contest in which two or more persons or teams compete

Mateverb

To join together; to fit together; to connect; to link; as, he mated a saw blade to a broom handle to cut inaccessible branches.

Matchnoun

a burning piece of wood or cardboard;

‘if you drop a match in there the whole place will explode’;

Mateverb

To be or become a mate or mates, especially in sexual companionship; as, some birds mate for life; this bird will not mate with that one.

Matchnoun

an exact duplicate;

‘when a match is found an entry is made in the notebook’;

Matenoun

the officer below the master on a commercial ship

Matchnoun

the score needed to win a match

Matenoun

a fellow member of a team;

‘it was his first start against his former teammates’;

Matchnoun

a person regarded as a good matrimonial prospect

Matenoun

the partner of an animal (especially a sexual partner);

‘he loved the mare and all her mates’; ‘camels hate leaving their mates’;

Matchnoun

a person who is of equal standing with another in a group

Matenoun

a person's partner in marriage

Matchnoun

a pair of people who live together;

‘a married couple from Chicago’;

Matenoun

an exact duplicate;

‘when a match is found an entry is made in the notebook’;

Matchnoun

something that resembles or harmonizes with;

‘that tie makes a good match with your jacket’;

Matenoun

South American holly; leaves used in making a drink like tea

Matchverb

be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics;

‘The two stories don't agree in many details’; ‘The handwriting checks with the signature on the check’; ‘The suspect's fingerprints don't match those on the gun’;

Matenoun

informal term for a friend of the same sex

Matchverb

provide funds complementary to;

‘The company matched the employees' contributions’;

Matenoun

South American tea-like drink made from leaves of a South American holly called mate

Matchverb

bring two objects, ideas, or people together;

‘This fact is coupled to the other one’; ‘Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?’; ‘The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project’;

Matenoun

a chess move constituting an inescapable and indefensible attack on the opponent's king

Matchverb

be equal to in quality or ability;

‘Nothing can rival cotton for durability’; ‘Your performance doesn't even touch that of your colleagues’; ‘Her persistence and ambition only matches that of her parents’;

Mateverb

make love;

‘Birds mate in the Spring’;

Matchverb

make correspond or harmonize;

‘Match my sweater’;

Mateverb

bring two objects, ideas, or people together;

‘This fact is coupled to the other one’; ‘Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?’; ‘The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project’;

Matchverb

satisfy or fulfill;

‘meet a need’; ‘this job doesn't match my dreams’;

Mateverb

place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game;

‘Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves’;

Matchverb

give or join in marriage

Matchverb

set into opposition or rivalry;

‘let them match their best athletes against ours’; ‘pit a chess player against the Russian champion’; ‘He plays his two children off against each other’;

Matchverb

be equal or harmonize;

‘The two pieces match’;

Matchverb

make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching;

‘let's equalize the duties among all employees in this office’; ‘The company matched the discount policy of its competitors’;

Match

A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper.