matter Hear it!

matter Definition

mat·ter (mat′ər)

noun

  1. what a thing is made of; constituent substance or material
  2. what all (material) things are made of; whatever occupies space and is perceptible to the senses in some way: in modern physics, matter and energy are regarded as equivalents, mutually convertible according to Einstein's formula, E = mc (i.e., energy equals mass multiplied by the square of the velocity of light); in dualistic thinking, matter is regarded as the opposite of mind, spirit, etc.
  3. any specified sort of substance coloring matter
  4. material of thought or expression; what is spoken or written, regarded as distinct from how it is spoken or written; content, as distinguished from manner, style, or form
  5. an amount or quantity, usually indefinite a matter of a few days
    1. something that is the subject of discussion, concern, action, etc.; thing or affair business matters
    2. cause, occasion, or grounds no matter for jesting
  7. the body of heroic stories and legends, as contained in a folk epic, regarded as central to a culture or literature the King Arthur stories make up the matter of Britain
    1. an important affair; thing of some moment or significance
    2. importance; moment; significance it's of no matter
  9. an unfavorable state of affairs; trouble; difficulty: with the something seems to be the matter
  10. documents, letters, etc. sent, or to be sent, by mail; mail second-class matter
  11. a substance discharged by the body; specif., pus
  12. Law something that is to be proved
  13. Philos. that which has yet to take on form; undifferentiated substance of reality or experience
  14. Printing
    1. written material prepared, or to be prepared, for printing; copy
    2. copy ready to be printed

Etymology: ME matiere < OFr < L materia, material, stuff, wood (< base of mater, mother), orig., the growing trunk of a tree

intransitive verb

  1. to be of importance or consequence; have significance the things that matter to one
  2. to form and discharge pus; suppurate

matter Idioms

as a matter of fact

for that matter

in regard to that; as far as that is concerned

no matter

  1. it is of no importance
  2. regardless of
matter Synonyms

matter

n.

  1. Substance

    body, material, substantiality, corporeality, corporeity, protoplasm, constituents, stuff, materialness, object, thing, physical world; see also element 2.

    Antonyms nothing*, nihility*, immateriality.

  2. Difficulty

    trouble, distress, perplexity; see difficulty 2.

  3. Subject

    interest, focus, resolution; see subject 1, theme 1, topic.

  4. An affair

    undertaking, circumstance, concern; see affair 1.

  5. Pus

    suppuration, maturation, discharge, purulence, ulceration, infection; see also sore.

as a matter of fact

in fact, in actuality, truly; see really 1.

for that matter

in regard to that, as far as that is concerned, concerning that; see and.

no matter

it doesn't matter, it is of no concern, regardless of; see regardless 2.

matter Synonyms

matter

v.

  1. To be of importance

    value, carry weight, weigh, signify, be substantive, be important, have influence, import, imply, denote, express, be of consequence, involve, be worthy of notice; see also mean 1.

  2. To form or discharge pus

    suppurate, come to a head, fester; see decay.

matter Law Definition

n

An issue under consideration in a lawsuit.
matter in issue
The crux of a case, the matter in controversy.
matter of fact
An issue of the truth or falsity of a pertinent fact.
matter of law
An issue pertaining to the applicability or interpretation of a particular law.
matter of record
Any matter that has been made a part of the official court record.
matter Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • urgency: This must be done as a matter of some urgency.
  • fact: Whatever the truth, there is something which is a matter of fact.
  • concern: Risk assessment of these exposures is a matter of great concern " .
  • taste: The choice of grade is primarily a matter of taste.
  • importance: It is no longer a matter of sufficient importance to be gravely considered by thinking men.
  • principle: Part 03 In Irish folklore there's a character who steadfastly refuses to tell the truth as a matter of principle.

Converse of object

  • discuss: The Course Director may also be contacted at any time during office hours by students wishing to discuss matters relating to the course.
  • refer: On this occasion, MSA referred the matter directly to the CMA.
  • resolve: This process gives you the opportunity to resolve the matter without the need to involve the courts.
  • complicate: Without complicating matters at all, it boils down to a couple of basic factors.
  • relate: She is knowledgeable on parliamentary matters related to breast cancer.
  • raise: There should then be no excuse for the jobholder to feel inhibited about raising a matter of concern.

Used with why or when

  • which: Press and hold the central locking switch; it does not matter which side.
  • what: Are settled quickly matter what track must either fold.

Adjective modifier

  • subject: I think the subject matter is going to provoke worship for eternity.
  • organic: In caves, the basis of the food chain is organic matter from the surface.
  • particulate: Diesel engines, particularly the larger ones in busses and trains, are responsible for significant emissions of particulate matter.
  • related: Our Housing Advice team provides free advice on housing and tenancy related matters.
  • reserved: We have heard that one reason for the wording in the Bill is due to reserved matters over which the Assembly has no control.
  • such: Such matters are therefore played out in the ' public ' arena.
matter Quotes

Does it matter?ölosing your sight?† There's such splendid work for the blind; And people will always be kind As you sit on the terrace remembering And turning your face to the light.

—Sassoon, Siegfried Louvain

Live all you can; it's a mistake not to. It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you haven't had that what have you had?

—James, Henry

Nothing matters very much, and very few things matter at all.

—Balfour, ArthurJames Balfour, 1st Earl

Love is most nearly itself When here and now cease to matter.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

I am no prophetöand here's no great matter; I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, And in short, I was afraid.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

This particularly rapid unintelligible patter Isn't generally heard, and if it is it doesn't matter!

—Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

There are living systems; there is no'living matter'.

—Monod,Jacques

In our anguish we struggle To elude Him, to lie to Him, yet His love observes His appalling promise; His predilection As we wander and weep is with us to the end, Minding our meanings, our least matter dear to Him.

—Auden,W(ystan) H(ugh)

Science provides a vision of reality seen from the perspective of reason, a perspective that sees the vast order of the universe, living and non-living matter, as a material system governed by rules that can be known by the human mind.It is a powerful vision, formal and austere but strangely silent about many of the questions that deeplyconcernus. Scienceshowsuswhat existsbut not what to do about it.

—Pagels, Heinz R(udolf)

We are beginning to see now it is matter is the scaffolding of spirit; that the poet emerges from morphemes and phonemes; that as form in sculpture is the prisoner of the hard rock, so in everyday life it is the plain facts and natural happenings that conceal God and reveal him to us little by little under the mind's tooling.

—Thomas, R(onald) S(tuart)

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.

—Shankly, Bill (William)

   Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love; I, with no rights in this matter, Neither father nor lover.

—Rogers,Will

It has been often said, even by proponents of those picturesknown inaestheticslang as Cubist and Abstract, that they have no subject matter. Such a statement is equivalent to saying that life has no subject matter.

—Davis, Stuart

It was not the matter of the work, but the mind that went into, that countedöand the manwho was not content to do small things well would leave great things undone.

—Glasgow, Ellen Anderson Gholson

Concerning the gods I am not in a position to know either that they are or that they are not, or what theyare like in appearance; for there are many things that are preventing knowledge, the obscurity of the matter and the brevity of human life.

—Protagoras

They order, said I, this matter better in France.

—Sterne, Laurence

Theyare not skilful considerers of human things, who imagine to remove sin by removing the matter of sin.

—Milton,John

I readilyadmit that I am often more serious than I should be at my age or in my present circumstances, yet I know from experiencethat Iamnever lessgiventomelancholy thanwhen I am keenlyapplying the feeble powers of my fallen to be the laughing stock of children.

—Sidney, Sir Philip

It ought to be quite as natural and straightforward a matter for a labourer to take his pension from his parish, because he has deserved well of his parish, as for a man in higher rank to take his pension from his country, because he has deserved well of his country.

—Ruskin,John

But Fonstein belonged to an even more advanced category†their aim is to convert weaknesses and secrets into burnable energy. A first-class man subsists on the matter he destroys, just as the stars do.

—Bellow, Saul

Nec species sua cuique manet, rerumque novatrix ex aliis alias reddit natura figuras. nec perit in toto quidquam, mihi credite, mundo, sed variat faciemque novat, nascique vocatur incipere esse aliud, quam quod fuit ante, morique, desinere illud idem. cum sint huc forsitan illa, haec translata illuc, summa tamen omnia constant. No species remains constant: that great renovator of matter Nature, endlessly fashions new forms from old: there's nothing in the whole universe that perishes, believe me; rather it renews and varies its substance. What we describe as birth isno morethan incipient change froma prior state, while dying is merely to quit it. Though the parts may be transported hither and thither, the sum of all matter is constant.

—Ovid full name Publius OvidiusNaso   4317

You jast keep your air on and listen to me.You Awrish people are too well off: thet's wots the matter with you.

—Shaw, George Bernard

Before us lay a painful road, And guidance have I sought in duteous love From Wisdom's heavenly Father. Hence hath flowed Patience, with trust that, whatsoe'er the way Each takes in this high matter, all may move Cheered with the prospect of a brighter day.

—Wordsworth,William

The Socialist papers†came out full tothethroat of well- printed matter†admirable and straightforward expositions of the doctrines and practice of Socialism, free from hasteand spiteand hard words†with a kind of May-day freshness amidst the worryand terror of the moment.

—Morris,William

Vain matter is worse than vain words.

—Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

I that have loved thee thus before thou fadest, My faith shall wax, when thou art in thy waning. The world shall find this miracle in me, That fire can burn when all the matter's spent.

—Daniel, Samuel

Browse dictionary entries near matter

  1. ‹ matted
  2. ‹ matte
  3. ‹ Matt
  4. ‹ Matsuyama
  5. ‹ Matsudo
  6. ‹ Matsu
  7. ‹ matsah
  8. ‹ matronymic
  9. ‹ matronly
  10. ‹ matronize
  1. matter of course ›
  2. matter-of-fact ›
  3. Matterhorn ›
  4. Matthean ›
  5. Matthew ›
  6. Matthews, Gordon ›
  7. Matthias ›
  8. matting ›
  9. mattins ›
  10. mattock ›