different between exact vs matchless

English

Etymology

From Old French, from Medieval Latin exactare, from Latin exactus, perfect passive participle of exig? (“demand, claim as due" or "measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + ag? (“drive”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???zækt/
• Rhymes: -ækt

Adjective

exact (comparative exacter or more exact, superlative exactest or most exact)

1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.

2. Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.
   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

3. Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
4. (algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.

Synonyms

• (precisely agreeing): perfect, true, correct, precise
• (precisely or definitely conceived or stated): strict
• spot on

Antonyms

• (precisely agreeing): inexact, imprecise, approximate
• (precisely or definitely conceived or stated): loose

Derived terms

• exactly
• exactness
• exact sequence

Translations

Verb

exact (third-person singular simple present exacts, present participle exacting, simple past and past participle exacted)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.

   to exact tribute, fees, or obedience from someone

   • He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

   • 2018, Edo Konrad, "Living in the constant shadow of settler violence", +972 Magazine:

   • 2020 September 19, statement of Clarence Thomas on the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg[1]:

     She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us, whether in agreement or disagreement.

   • 2020, Kristine Henriksen Garroway, John W. Martens, Children and Methods (page 139)

     […] a generic, strikingly universal, deity, “ha-elohim,” who tests, who exacts and extracts, and who is the object of fear […]

2. (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.
   • 1632, Philip Massinger, The Maid of Honour

     My designs exact me in another place.

3. (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce.

   to exact revenge on someone

Usage notes

• Often used with the preposition from or on.

Derived terms

• exactable
• exacter
• exacting
• exactor

Translations

Adverb

exact (comparative more exact, superlative most exact)

1. exactly

Synonyms

• (error-free manner): accurately, just, precisely; see also Thesaurus:exactly

Further reading

• exact in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• exact in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• exact at OneLook Dictionary Search

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French exact, from Middle French exact, from Latin ex?ctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?k?s?kt/
• Hyphenation: exact
• Rhymes: -?kt

Adjective

exact (comparative exacter, superlative exactst)

1. exact, precise

Inflection

Derived terms

• exactheid

Descendants

• Afrikaans: eksak

French

Etymology

From Latin ex?ctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.zakt/, (old-fashioned) /??.za/

Adjective

exact (feminine singular exacte, masculine plural exacts, feminine plural exactes)

1. exact; precise

Derived terms

• exactement
• science exacte

Further reading

• “exact” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French exact.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e??zakt/

Adjective

exact m or n (feminine singular exact?, masculine plural exac?i, feminine and neuter plural exacte)

1. exact, precise

Declension

Adverb

exact

1. exactly, precisely

See also

• precis

English

Etymology 1

From match +? -less, modelled after or partly continuing Middle English makeless (“having no peer or equal, matchless”), equivalent to make +? -less. Compare Swedish makalös (“incomparable, matchless”), Danish mageløs (“matchless”).

Adjective

matchless (comparative more matchless, superlative most matchless)

1. Having no match; without equal.
   • 1819, Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, ch. 8:

     [T]he Prince was to declare the victor in the first day's tourney, who should receive as prize a warhorse of exquisite beauty and matchless strength.

   • 2002, Daniel Okrent, "Books: A Prince of a Pitcher" (Review of: Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy), Time, 30 Sept.:

     It was not his matchless talent that exalted Koufax beyond his greatest contemporaries so much as it was his knowledge that character was not connected to talent.

2. Having no mate.
   • 2010, Sandra Brennan, "Movies: The Flying Matchmaker (1966)," nytimes.com, 1 June (retrieved 13 Sep 2010):

     In this comedy, a matchmaker has a matchless daughter. Try as he might, he cannot seem to find anyone for her.

Synonyms

• (without equal): incomparable, nonpareil, peerless, unequaled, unmatched, unparalleled, unsurpassed
• (having no mate): single, unattached

Derived terms

• matchlessly
• matchlessness

Translations

Etymology 2

match +? -less

Adjective

matchless (not comparable)

1. Without the use of matches for ignition.

   a matchless stove