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