- matter
- [[t]mæ̱tə(r)[/t]]
♦matters, mattering, mattered1) N-COUNT: usu with supp A matter is a task, situation, or event which you have to deal with or think about, especially one that involves problems.
It was clear that she wanted to discuss some private matter...
Until the matter is resolved the athletes will be ineligible to compete...
Don't you think this is now a matter for the police?...
Business matters drew him to Paris.
Syn:2) N-PLURAL: without det You use matters to refer to the situation you are talking about, especially when something is affecting the situation in some way.If your ordinary life is out of control, then retreating into a cosy ritual will not improve matters...
If it would facilitate matters, I would be happy to come to New York...
Matters took an unexpected turn.
Syn:things3) N-SING: a N of n/-ing If you say that a situation is a matter of a particular thing, you mean that that is the most important thing to be done or considered when you are involved in the situation or explaining it.History is always a matter of interpretation...
Observance of the law is a matter of principle for us...
After that, life became a matter of defying school rules...
Jack had attended these meetings as a matter of routine for years.
Syn:4) N-UNCOUNT: supp N Printed matter consists of books, newspapers, and other texts that are printed. Reading matter consists of things that are suitable for reading, such as books and newspapers....the Government's plans to levy VAT on printed matter...
Many of the papers have magazine supplements, providing a rich variety of reading matter.
5) N-UNCOUNT Matter is the physical part of the universe consisting of solids, liquids, and gases.A proton is an elementary particle of matter that possesses a positive charge...
He has spent his career studying how matter behaves at the fine edge between order and disorder.
6) N-UNCOUNT: with supp You use matter to refer to a particular type of substance.They feed mostly on decaying vegetable matter.
...waste matter from industries.
7) N-SING: the N, oft N with n You use matter in expressions such as `What's the matter?' or `Is anything the matter?' when you think that someone has a problem and you want to know what it is.Carole, what's the matter? You don't seem happy...
What's the matter with your office?...
She told him there was nothing the matter.
8) N-SING: a N of pl-n (emphasis) You use matter in expressions such as `a matter of weeks' when you are emphasizing how small an amount is or how short a period of time is.Within a matter of days she was back at work...
He expected to be at East Grinstead station in a matter of hours...
This time the journey was short, a matter of four or five miles up into the hills.
9) VERB: no cont, usu with brd-neg If you say that something does not matter, you mean that it is not important to you because it does not have an effect on you or on a particular situation.A lot of the food goes on the floor but that doesn't matter...
As for Laura and me, the colour of our skin has never mattered...
[it V wh] As long as staff are smart, it does not matter how long their hair is...
[it V that] Does it matter that people don't know this?...
[V to n] Money is the only thing that matters to them. [Also it V]
10) → See also , subject matter11) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that something is another matter or a different matter, you mean that it is very different from the situation that you have just discussed.Being responsible for one's own health is one thing, but being responsible for another person's health is quite a different matter...
You have no business going into such places all by yourselves. If your parents take you, of course, that's another matter.
12) PHRASE: PHR n If you are going to do something as a matter of urgency or priority, you are going to do it as soon as possible, because it is important.Your doctor and health visitor can help a great deal and you need to talk about it with them as a matter of urgency.
13) PHRASE: v-link PHR If something is no easy matter, it is difficult to do it.Choosing the colour for the drawing-room walls was no easy matter.
14) PHRASE If someone says that's the end of the matter or that's an end to the matter, they mean that a decision that has been taken must not be changed or discussed any more.`He's moving in here,' Maria said. `So that's the end of the matter.'
Syn:that's final15) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR that You use the fact of the matter is or the truth of the matter is to introduce a fact which supports what you are saying or which is not widely known, for example because it is a secret.The fact of the matter is that most people consume far more protein than they actually need...
The truth of the matter is that he was having an identity crisis when he met Carina.
Syn:the truth is16) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) You can use for that matter to emphasize that the remark you are making is true in the same way as your previous, similar remark.The irony was that Shawn had not seen her. Nor for that matter had anyone else...
A great deal of hard work was done and, for that matter, is continuing.
Syn:come to that17) CONVENTION You say `it doesn't matter' to tell someone who is apologizing to you that you are not angry or upset, and that they should not worry.`Did I wake you?' - `Yes, but it doesn't matter.'
Syn:never mind18) CONVENTION You say `it doesn't matter' when someone offers you a choice between two or more things and you do not mind which is chosen.`Steve, what do you want?' - `Coke, Pepsi, it doesn't matter.'
19) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that something is no laughing matter, you mean that it is very serious and not something that you should laugh or joke about.Their behaviour is an offence. It's no laughing matter.
Syn:no joke, serious20) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR with cl If you say that something makes matters worse, you mean that it makes a difficult situation even more difficult.Don't let yourself despair; this will only make matters worse...
To make matters worse, it started to rain again.
21) CONVENTION (feelings) You say `no matter' after you have just asked a question or mentioned an idea or doubt and you have decided that it is not really important, interesting, or worth discussing.`Didn't you ever read the book?' Keating shook his head. `Well, no matter.'...
`Shoddy workmanship these days,' he remarked. `No matter, it will still bear my weight.'
Syn:never mind22) PHRASE: PHR wh You use no matter in expressions such as `no matter how' and `no matter what' to say that something is true or happens in all circumstances.No matter what your age, you can lose weight by following this program...
No matter how often they were urged, they could not bring themselves to join in...
Jenkins would reward all investors, no matter when they made their investment.
Syn:never mind23) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) If you say that you are going to do something no matter what, you are emphasizing that you are definitely going to do it, even if there are obstacles or difficulties.He had decided to publish the manuscript no matter what...
I vowed then, no matter what, I would never be like those people.
Syn:24) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that a statement is a matter of opinion, you mean that it is not a fact, and that other people, including yourself, do not agree with it.`We're not that contrived. We're not that theatrical.' - `That's a matter of opinion.'
Syn:25) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that something is just a matter of time, you mean that it is certain to happen at some time in the future.It would be only a matter of time before he went through with it.
English dictionary. 2008.
