factfact /fækt/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 
The book is full of facts about the World Cup.fact of First of all, we need to know the facts of the case.it’s a fact/that’s a fact (=used to emphasize that something is definitely true or that something definitely happened) The divorce rate is twice as high as in the 1950s – that’s a fact.is that a fact? (=used to reply to a statement that you find surprising, interesting, or difficult to believe) ‘She used to be a professional singer.’ ‘Is that a fact?’2the fact (that) used when talking about a situation and saying that it is true: Our decision to build the museum in Hartlepool was influenced by the fact that there were no national museums in the North East. He refused to help me, despite the fact that I asked him several times.given the fact (that)/in view of the fact (that) (=used when saying that a particular fact influences your judgment about something or someone) Given the fact that this is their first game, I think they did pretty well.due to the fact (that)/owing to the fact (that) (=because) The school’s poor exam record is largely due to the fact that it is chronically underfunded. The fact we didn’t win when we were so close is very disappointing.3in (actual) fact a)used when you are adding something, especially something surprising, to emphasize what you have just said: I know the mayor really well. In fact, I had dinner with her last week. b)used to emphasize that the truth about a situation is the opposite of what has been mentioned: They told me it would be cheap but in fact it cost me nearly $500. Her teachers said she was a slow learner, whereas in actual fact she was partially deaf.4the fact (of the matter) is spoken used when you are telling someone what is actually true in a particular situation, especially when this may be difficult to accept, or different from what people believe: The fact of the matter is that he’s just not up to the job.5the fact remains used to emphasize that what you are saying about a situation is true and people must realize this: The fact remains that the number of homeless people is rising daily.6real events/not a story [uncountable] situations, events etc that really happened and have not been invented OPP fiction: Much of the novel is based on fact. It’s a news reporter’s job to separate fact from fiction.7 facts and figures [plural] the basic details, numbers etc concerning a particular situation or subject: Here are a few facts and figures about the country.8 the facts speak for themselves used to say that the things that have happened or the things someone has done show clearly that something is true9after the fact after something has happened or been done, especially after a mistake has been made → as a matter of fact at matter1(4), → face facts at face2(2), → in point of fact at point1(17)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesthe basic/key facts· The report outlines the basic facts concerning the case.a well-known fact· It is a well-known fact that new cars lose a lot of their value in the first year.a little-known fact· It is a little-known fact that the actor was born in London.an interesting fact· The research revealed some interesting facts about the behaviour of cats.a curious/remarkable fact· It is a remarkable fact that elephants do not use their trunks to suck up water until they are over four months old.hard facts (=information that is definitely true and can be proven)· His theory is supported by hard facts.a historical/scientific fact· This was presented as a historical fact when it was just an opinion.the bare facts (=only the basic general facts of a situation)· We know the bare facts of his life, but nothing about what he was really like.verbsgive somebody/provide the facts· Newspapers have a duty to give their readers the facts.establish/piece together the facts (=find out what actually happened in a situation)· The police are still piecing together the facts.examine the facts· I decided to examine the facts for myself.state the facts (=say what you know is true)· Press reports often fail to state the facts completely.stick to the facts (=say only what you know is true)· Just stick to the facts when the police interview you.phrasesknow for a fact (=used to say that something is definitely true)· I know for a fact that she is older than me.get your facts right/straight (=make sure that what you say or believe is correct)· You should get your facts straight before making accusations.get your facts wrong· It’s no use putting together a beautifully-written argument if you get your facts wrong.
WORD ORIGINfact
Origin:
1400-1500 Latin factum ‘thing done’, from facere ‘to do, make’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Gentry still owed Mr Tilly $7,000, a fact he failed to mention when he was arrested.
- He's never tried to hide the fact that he spent time in jail.
- I'm not interested in your opinions - I just want to know the facts.
- It's important that young people learn the facts about drugs.
- It is a fact that the world is round.
- The book is full of interesting facts about plant life.
- The most important thing is to find out what the facts are and put the scandal behind us.
- You need to back up your theory with one or two hard facts.
- Although her poems appear short and simple, they in fact possess an ever-deepening complexity.
- At least if you had no reason to think either would in fact allow more abortions?
- Confucianism was above all, in fact, the expression of a particular caste, the educated class known as mandarins.
- In fact house prices have reached such proportions in some areas that many engaged couples have had to postpone their weddings.
- In fact the Acapulco is a good all round Club base.
- In fact the company says that making Ingres secure involves only around a 3% addition to the product in terms of code.
- In fact, no one will admit to being the slightest bit nervous about the lift.
- The fact is, this is a business deal.
Longman Language Activatorwhen you want to add something surprising or interesting to what you are saying
spoken · Robert's an old friend of mine. We were at school together, actually.· The company is doing very well. As a matter of fact, we've doubled our sales budget.· Of course I know your mother. We go to the same church, in fact.· The performance was excellent. In fact, it was probably the best I've seen.
when the real situation is different from what people think especially spoken used to tell or ask someone what the real situation is, when they think it is something different: · "Here's the $10 I owe you." "Actually, you owe me 20."· Did he actually hit you or just threaten you?· It turns out that one of the children I thought was a girl was actually a boy.
used to tell someone what the real situation is, when they think it is something different. Actually is more informal and is used more in conversation than in fact . Actually is also used more in questions than in fact . Actually is often used at the beginning of a sentence that answers a question, but in fact is not.: · He said it would be cheap but in fact it cost over £200.· No, I'm not offended at all. In fact, I'm glad you asked the question.in actual fact/in point of fact: · They seem to think that building a new road will improve the traffic problem, whereas in point of fact it will make it worse.· There are almost 200,000 possible combinations of symbols. In actual fact, only a small number of these are used.
spoken used to say what the truth is, especially because something about the situation may make people believe something that is wrong: · He failed his tests, but he's quite a bright guy, really.· Are you sure she's really a lawyer? She doesn't act like one.· They're asking £600,000 for the house. That's more than it's really worth.
used to introduce the second part of a statement when you want to show that the first part is not true or exact: · It seems like just yesterday, but in reality it was five years ago.· Nowadays owning a car may appear to be a necessity, but in reality it isn't.· They say that the economy is already coming out of the recession, but the reality is that there has been no improvement at all.the reality of the situation is: · The reality of the situation is that by sending drug users to jail, the government may be discouraging people from seeking treatment.
used to show what the real truth or fact is in a situation, when this is surprising or different from what people believed was true: · The truth was that she did not enjoy getting together with the rest of her family.· The fact is he was murdered. He didn't commit suicide at all.· I may make it all look easy, but the truth is I work very hard.
used to show the difference between what is supposed to happen according to a rule or law, and what does happen: · Teenagers are not allowed to drink in bars, but in practice they often do.· Economic predictions are highly theoretical. It's what they mean in practice that is important.in theory ... in practice: · The law seemed like a good idea in theory, but in practice it has proved far too expensive.
used to show what really happens, even though this was not clear from what was said or done: · Foreign companies have been effectively running the country for decades.· Management seems to be saying, in effect, that if we don't like the offer, we can all quit.
what you say when you think someone should admit something say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true: · Let's face it, the England team are not good enough to beat Holland.· People are basically selfish, let's face it.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : there's no getting around it: · There's no getting around it - we'll have to start again from the beginning.there's no getting around the fact that: · There's no getting around the fact that most people prefer to travel to work in their own cars, rather than by bus or train.
say this when you want other people to admit that something, especially an unpleasant fact, is true and that it cannot be changed : · We cannot escape the fact that Mr. Mireki's death arose from a job-related activity.· You can't escape the fact that we all have to die some day.
information facts or details about a situation, event, person, place etc: · We need more information before we make a decision.information about/on: · The book contains information on how to find a job abroad.· I'm looking for some information about breast cancer research.give/provide information: · The tourist office will be able to give you the information you need.· The Web site provides the latest information on Medicare and Medicaid.further information written (=more information): · For further information, please write to the following address.piece of information: · Ray just told me an interesting piece of information.detailed information (=containing a lot of facts): · The guidebook has detailed information about the hotels in the area.
a piece of information that can be proved to be true: · I'm not interested in your opinions - I just want to know the facts.fact about: · It's important that young people learn the facts about drugs.· The book is full of interesting facts about plant life.fact that: · He's never tried to hide the fact that he spent time in jail.
all the smaller pieces of information that you need to know about something that you already know about in a general way: · There's a big jazz festival in May. I'll give you the details if you want.details of/about: · The details of specific cases cannot be made public.· The doctor asked me for details about my eating and exercise habits.provide/give details: · He said the meeting was next month, but he didn't give any specific details.further details written (=more details): · For further details, contact the conference organizer.full details (=all the details): · Full details about the company's plans will be announced in several months.
especially spoken information: · Sandra will give you all the info you need.info on/about: · For more info on the show, call this number.· The dinosaur exhibit is pretty neat with lots of info about each period.
information that is used when you write a story, article, speech etc: · There wasn't enough material to write a whole book.· I've been unable to find any reference material on the subject of interracial adoptions.· The stories he collected became material for the biography he is now writing.
facts, numbers, and other information that have been collected and stored, especially on a computer: · This computer can store as much data as many larger models.· He has to trawl through vast amounts of economic data.data on/about: · The spacecraft has sent back new data about Jupiter's atmosphere.
when pictures, films etc do not make things seem real also realise British · Tim only realized his mistake the next day.· Without realising it, we had gone the wrong way.· Oh, is that your chair? Sorry, I didn't realize.realize (that) · She woke up and realised that there was someone moving around downstairs.
if something occurs to you, you suddenly realize that it might be true, especially when you had been thinking something completely different before: it occurs to somebody (that): · It suddenly occurred to me that maybe she was lying.· Didn't it ever occur to you that they would probably like to be alone together?
to slowly realize something, especially over a fairly long period of time: become aware of: · I was slowly becoming aware of how much Melissa was suffering.become aware that: · He became aware that the man sitting opposite was staring at him intently.
if a fact or someone's words sink in , you gradually realize their full meaning: · The news of the President's assassination had only just begun to sink in.· Winning this tournament means so much to me. It hasn't really sunk in yet.
if a fact dawns on you, you slowly start to realize it, especially when you should have realized it before: · The awful truth only dawned on me later.it dawns on somebody that: · It slowly dawned on her that they were all making fun of her.it dawns on somebody how/why etc: · It didn't dawn on me how seriously injured I was until I got to the hospital.
if an idea or thought strikes you, you suddenly realize something: it strikes somebody (that): · It struck her one day, when she was walking home from school, that she hadn't thought about her weight for over a month.· It just struck me - you must have been in the same class as my brother.
if a fact hits you, you suddenly realize its importance or its full meaning and you feel shocked: · The full impact of what he'd said hit me a few hours later.it hits somebody: · Suddenly it hit me. He was trying to ask me to marry him.
to begin to fully realize and understand something, especially after you have avoided thinking about it because it is unpleasant or it makes you feel uncomfortable: · How long will it be before people wake up to the fact that anyone can catch AIDS.· The speaker warned that we must "wake up to the fact that we are in a tough competitive market".
spoken say this when you suddenly realize something that makes a subject or situation easy to understand: · Then it clicked. The man at the station must have been her brother!it clicked what/how/where etc: · Finally it clicked what all the fuss had been about.
to make someone realize how serious, difficult, or dangerous something is: · This is the last place you would expect there to be a murder. It just brings it home to you that this kind of thing can happen anywhere.· It often takes something like a heart attack to bring home to people the danger of smoking.
the true information or facts about something: the truth about · We may never know the truth about what really happened to Marilyn Monroe.· Scientists believe they are close to finding out the truth about the origins of the universe.the truth is (that) · The truth is that the idea of having kids terrifies him.the simple/plain truth (=the truth about something, especially when this is unpleasant) · The simple truth is that I just don't love him anymore.the truth comes out (=the truth becomes known) · Nixon tried to cover up the burglary, but the truth had to come out in the end.
a true piece of information about something: · The most important thing is to find out what the facts are and put the scandal behind us.· Gentry still owed Mr Tilly $7,000, a fact he failed to mention when he was arrested.fact that: · It is a fact that the world is round.hard facts (=definite facts that cannot be argued with): · You need to back up your theory with one or two hard facts.
important facts or principles about life, the world etc that are always true in all situations: · Science is based around the search for truth.· Ellis explains how truth and freedom are linked.· fundamental truths about human nature
British facts about someone which are unpleasant for them to know but are true: · It's about time someone told that woman a few home truths.
when something is true something that is true is based on real facts and was not invented or imagined: · Everything I have told you is true.· At first I couldn't believe it was really true.· The movie is based on a true story.· If the rumours are true, we may all have a new boss by the end of the month.it is true (that): · It's true that our schools have suffered in the past from a lack of funding, but we are changing that.
to be true: · There's no way I can do any more work than I do now, and that's the truth.· We think that what she says is the truth -- she probably didn't intend to steal the money.
use this to say that something that is true about one person or group is also true about another one: · We encourage the kids in the program to work together, and the same thing goes for the adults too.· There are some bad teachers in state schools, but the same thing goes for private schools as well.
use this to emphasize that something is definitely true: it is a fact that: · It is a fact that more children in this country die in road accidents than from any other cause.
if a situation is the case , that is the way the situation truly is: it is the case that: · It used to be the case that British industry was plagued by strikes, but this is no longer true.as is often/usually the case: · The doctor prescribed drugs for the child, as is often the case with this illness.· He thinks I'm complaining about nothing, but that's just not the case.
a truthful answer or statement contains no lies: · Our citizens have a right to expect truthful reports from their government.· Justice Department officials who reviewed his statement found it to be truthful.
descriptions, information, or numbers that are accurate are based on facts, do not contain mistakes, and tell you exactly what is happening: · Greene gives a remarkably accurate description of life in Saigon in the early '50s.· I think your assessment of the current economic situation is pretty accurate.
ideas that are valid are based on what is true and reasonable, and should be accepted or considered seriously: · This may not be a valid conclusion - we haven't tested it thoroughly yet.· Many of Rousseau's ideas are just as valid today as they were in the 18th century.· The government still hasn't produced a valid argument in favour of its policies on immigration.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives In actual fact (=really), there is little evidence to support the allegations. He was bemoaning the fact that lawyers charge so much. The crumpled sheets betrayed the fact that someone had been sleeping there. She tried to conceal the fact that she was pregnant. She went to Spain despite the fact that her doctor had told her to rest. There’s no disguising the fact that business is bad. Mum told me the facts of life when I was twelve. He took off his ring to hide the fact that he was married. You can’t ignore the fact that many criminals never go to prison. irrefutable proof of his innocence She lamented the fact that manufacturers did not produce small packs for single-person households. The strength of the book lies in the fact that the material is from classroom experience. Use a matter-of-fact tone when disciplining your children. The mere fact that the talks are continuing is a positive sign. a group of US congressmen on a fact-finding mission to Northern Ireland Recent successes have obscured the fact that the company is still in trouble. Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down. The plain fact is people still buy books. The fact remains that racism is still a considerable problem. Paul resented the fact that Carol didn’t trust him. Sam was resigned to the fact that he would never be promoted. Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.
· The report outlines the basic facts concerning the case.
· It is a well-known fact that new cars lose a lot of their value in the first year.
· It is a little-known fact that the actor was born in London.
· The research revealed some interesting facts about the behaviour of cats.
· It is a remarkable fact that elephants do not use their trunks to suck up water until they are over four months old.
(=information that is definitely true and can be proven)· His theory is supported by hard facts.
· This was presented as a historical fact when it was just an opinion.
(=only the basic general facts of a situation)· We know the bare facts of his life, but nothing about what he was really like.
verbs· Newspapers have a duty to give their readers the facts.
(=find out what actually happened in a situation)· The police are still piecing together the facts.
· I decided to examine the facts for myself.
(=say what you know is true)· Press reports often fail to state the facts completely.
(=say only what you know is true)· Just stick to the facts when the police interview you.
phrases (=used to say that something is definitely true)· I know for a fact that she is older than me.
(=make sure that what you say or believe is correct)· You should get your facts straight before making accusations.
· It’s no use putting together a beautifully-written argument if you get your facts wrong.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=someone who helps a criminal before or after the crime)
In actual fact (=really), there is little evidence to support the allegations.· You should start by giving the basic facts.
(=be not true)· Many of these rumours have no basis in fact.
He was bemoaning the fact that lawyers charge so much. The crumpled sheets betrayed the fact that someone had been sleeping there. She tried to conceal the fact that she was pregnant.· You can’t deny the fact that we made a mistake.
She went to Spain despite the fact that her doctor had told her to rest. There’s no disguising the fact that business is bad. (=a piece of information that has been tested and shown to be true)· It is an established fact that 1 in 10 undergraduates leave university in their first year.
Mum told me the facts of life when I was twelve. He took off his ring to hide the fact that he was married. You can’t ignore the fact that many criminals never go to prison. irrefutable proof of his innocence She lamented the fact that manufacturers did not produce small packs for single-person households. The strength of the book lies in the fact that the material is from classroom experience. Use a matter-of-fact tone when disciplining your children. The mere fact that the talks are continuing is a positive sign. a group of US congressmen on a fact-finding mission to Northern Ireland Recent successes have obscured the fact that the company is still in trouble. Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down. The plain fact is people still buy books. The fact remains that racism is still a considerable problem. Paul resented the fact that Carol didn’t trust him. Sam was resigned to the fact that he would never be promoted.· It’s a sad fact that a significant amount of crime is committed by young people.
Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.· Medicines usually stress the fact that you must not exceed the stated dose.
(=showing no emotion when what you are saying is exciting, frightening, upsetting, etc)· His tone was matter-of-fact, but she noticed he was shaking.
· The very fact that this is their second home means that they are well-off.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· The mere fact he had been invited to the eight-man special event represented progress.· The mere fact that they are willing to undertake these repairs proves that they fear us.· The mere fact of his suspicions concerning Tammuz dictated he must at least inspect who came calling.· But the mere fact that an effort was being made hurt Rhayader and drove him to avoid the person making it.· The mere fact of Ryan's being in her cottage?· The mere fact of racial imbalance represented a form of inequality.· The mere fact that a warning has been given will not be sufficient to absolve the occupier.· This does not mean that the mere fact of customer contact calls for heavy control.
· When will the Opposition grasp that simple fact?· What initially sounded like a simple experiment in fact required a great deal of effort.· The simple fact of the matter is this: Sparrows love cars.· I wanted to find the simple facts of her life.· This simple fact leads to talk of the momentum swinging his way.· The good reference librarian doesn't give the student the answers, except in matters of simple fact.· The simple facts speak for themselves.· This simple fact deprives you of most of the information you would normally have about the other person.
· As if to prove this very fact, the beast loosed its ear-shattering boom of a roar once more.· However, the very fact that they are mass-produced and relatively cheap means that they are too frequently seen.· It wasn't that I was tempted to eat those convenient nuts, just the very fact of their existence.· But he knew, deep down, that her attraction was the very fact that she did not.· But that very fact requires a conventionalist to find a more complex political justification than the one I just described.· The very fact they are bought and read daily by millions of people gives mass circulation newspapers an undeniable political role.· Yet this very fact raised two serious problems for the structure of enterprise.· Yet the very fact of taking action was undoubtedly a source of inspiration.
VERB· I've learned to accept the fact of being a rock star and how big the band's become.· Today, very late, we are coming to accept the fact that the harvest of renewable resources must be controlled.· This however had to be accepted as a fact and due attention paid to it.· Any city manager accepts the fact that he or she is at the mercy of the council majority, he said.· All right, I told myself, follow your own rules. Accept the fact of the arrow.· And, however suspiciously, the liberal has come to accept the fact.· For all but medieval historians and historians of laundry lists, this has to be accepted as a fact of life.· It is an accepted fact of scientific logic that you can never prove something true.
· Some observers have drawn attention to the fact that such assumptions themselves rest on flimsy foundations.· Either way, the rest of us can draw comfort from the fact that all these experts are befuddled, too.· If not, the reference to the terms should at least draw attention to the fact that the terms contain exclusion clauses.· Once it is established what the defendant knew, then the inference to be drawn from these primary facts is objective.· The Republicans drew comfort from the fact that trends of opinion had, for some time, been moving in their direction.· The Marxist Left drew attention to the fact that the sources of industrial conflict were just as explosive as ever.
· A statement must be obtained from the Insured to establish the facts and to avoid subsequent dispute as to the circumstances.· It was studiously careful not to speculate beyond the established facts.· The guilt is established by proof of facts.· It took Doyle a moment to establish that fact.
· She had to face the fact that she still missed him.· Speak out from the pulpit and face the fact that wife beating is sinful.· If you are facing the facts in your relationship or that of some one close to you, be encouraged.· Might it be that Marx faced facts while others sought the dubious shelter of wishful thinking?· My Lai gave the United States a chance to face this fact.· Those Braves fans who predicted another choke job must face facts.· But I had to face the fact that most of the pupils were completely untouched by every part of the curriculum.· She must face up to facts: her original project of family co-operation had fallen through because of her misjudgement.
· It was a decoy to hide the fact that they were also killing members of the political opposition.· She didn't care for him, and she had no intention of hiding the fact.· I think that you are an interesting man who wants to hide the fact that he is interesting.· The reason that it's able to hide that fact is the idea that it's a creative industry.· She had hidden this fact from us, and stubbornly tried once again to join the crew.· However, Graham was right in saying the scoreline hid the fact it was a comprehensive defeat.· Artists found it expedient to hide the fact of their use of photographic material or its influence upon them.
· The debate on the role of the state has largely ignored the fact that state means more than government.· There came a day shortly afterwards when I could no longer ignore the fact that he was losing his mind.· Completely ignoring the fact you hit only flesh, which it looks like it to me.· This, however, ignored the fact that the new scheme established a dual market in land.· She ignores the fact that there are two other channels.· This approach ignores the fact that the taxpayer first had to acquire the right to grant sub-licenses.
· The blame lies, in fact, with the intellectual ambitions of those who draw up school curricula.· A further piece of veracity lay in the fact that Imelda could not embrace the concept of life without a husband.· The difference lies in the fact that electrons are fermions whereas photons are bosons.· Part of the answer lies in the unexciting fact that he is prepared to take on the jobs.· The problem here lies in the fact that toddlers are egocentric.· Its importance for the believer lies in the fact that it is essential to the rational practice of worship and prayer.
· One thing that must be pointed out is the fact that these remarks, however romantic-sounding, are all self-centred.· Other experts point to the fact that even specialists are losing jobs.· I pointed to the fact that I was younger than when he took over.· Manchester executives are not shy about pointing out that fact.· Rather it points to the fact that there has been a subtle change in the composition of the teaching force.· I can summarize the preceding by pointing to the fact that there is actually a dual metaphor being employed.· All the evidence would seem to point to the fact that this is the case.· These just point to one important fact: Always seek the advice of your own doctor.
· However slowly, the forms tended over time to reflect the facts.· The methodology chapter must reflect the actual facts of the research experience.· This is reflected in the fact that geography provides a substantial part of the environmental teaching in key stages 1 to 4.· My regard for her was reflected in the fact that I asked her to be my son, Giles's godmother.· These phases and the difficulties of separating them reflect the fact that mental processes are not subject to clearly defined distinctions and boundaries.· But it also reflects the fact that older workers are, by virtue of their life situation, more reliable.· Thus anatomy may reflect the fact that there are only a few ways in which some engineering problem can be solved.· Public policy, she argues, should reflect this fact and reward marriage as the ideal.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► be alive to a fact/possibility/danger etc► there’s no escaping (the fact)► the facts of life► have a (good) head for figures/facts/business etc► it’s a matter of fact (that)
- The report contained some interesting facts and figures about the Saturn Corporation.
- He doesn't need to remember facts and figures, he actually sees the things and people of his cover-story life.
- He is notoriously tough on staff, often challenging them on facts and figures during council meetings.
- He learned how to boom out facts and figures to the city council members that they were unable to refute.
- It is not easy to make sense of the maze of facts and figures concerning the settlements.
- Most of the ones I run into need facts and figures.
- Stripped to their essentials his facts and figures are astonishing.
- These facts and figures added relatively little to what was already known in outline.
- When she left I quickly immersed myself in the safer, less emotional facts and figures of a real estate deal.
- She obviously knows what she's doing - the facts speak for themselves.
- Autoseeker speaks to the thief - the facts speak for themselves.
- Concerning investigation into the conditions endured by animals in laboratories, the facts speak for themselves.
- In such a case the purchaser may plead res ipsa loquitur - the facts speak for themselves.
- Mark answered in the traditional matter-of-fact manner, parading all the relevant factors and letting the facts speak for themselves.
- Few people even heard about the concert until after the fact.
- But solving the problem is not so simple, especially after the fact.
- Even after the fact, their violent behaviour just did not make sense.
- Explanations after the facts are of course very useful but the hallmark of a successful research programme is predictions.
- For the field man who deals with real problems, paper work is incidental, after the fact.
- The jury also acquitted the rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, of being an accessory after the fact.
- Then they acquitted Broadus of being an accessory after the fact.
- To make such decisions after the fact can be costly-even fatal.
- Will I follow you down the street a hundred years after the fact?
- He refused to help me despite the fact that I've done many things for him.
- Associated with this, I feel, was the fact that he never suffered from jet-lag.
- Bellends: I liked the fact that as both ends are the same you have four choices of entrance.
- But the fact is that none of these are visions of what I recognize as life.
- Even the fact that she suggested that they get married shows that she was living in a fantasy world.
- He remembered those pot-bellied children in Nairobi and he wanted the facts.
- It is due to the fact that they are six years old.
- Surely, the fact that he was out here, calmly taking a holiday, might be an encouraging sign?
- There are exceptions, but the fact that information is held in confidence is not as such a sufficient reason for exemption.
- Development time is, in fact, he says, cut from years to months.
- For that very denial had, in fact, given me far more.
- He did not in fact inherit the title until 1705, but a love of hunting he certainly did.
- I never did that in fact ... I went into filming, straight away.
- In other respects they are rather mysterious - more so in fact than seems to have been widely realized.
- Miss Ashley had in fact, except as regards changing her birth certificate, overcome all these obstacles to acceptance.
- The result was a wonderful success for Wren, for the garden planners and for Carteron himself-a triumph, in fact.
- When the smell was pure oak, I remembered childhood woods; in fact one particular place in one particular wood.
- And the fact is Jimi just turned me on more than anybody else, for his music.
- But the fact is that none of these are visions of what I recognize as life.
- But the fact is that the way we live our lives often assumes a belief about them, one way or another.
- But the fact is, it never should have come to that.
- Doing the sums Knowing the facts is the first priority.
- Let's be realistic, the fact is crime does pay.
- So parent power does work, but the fact is it shouldn't ever have to come to that.
- Yet the fact is that most adolescents are using drugs, and our drug education programs fail to address that reality.
- I know Benson has a Ph.D., but the fact remains that he has no practical experience.
- The fact remains that without raising taxes we won't be able to pay for any of these programs.
- But the fact remains that the safeguards themselves do not prevent the government using civil plutonium for defence purposes.
- But the fact remains that we are limited to inferring what the experiences of other brains are like from our own case.
- But the fact remains that Wolf and the tendency Wolf represented made an inward-looking discipline possible and, ultimately, respectable.
- But the fact remains: Corn is an inherent ingredient in our traditional larder.
- But, the fact remains that they are.
- Nevertheless, the fact remains that the extent to which they are genuinely accountable locally is entirely within their own discretion.
- None the less the fact remains that the presence of descent groups tells us nothing directly about domestic organization.
- Still, the fact remains that Tolkien did produce a narrative of entrelacement.
- At first, the Soviets refused to accept Lithuania's secession as an accomplished fact.
- The recruiting office should advertise the fact that it welcomes members of the public who wish to drop in.
- This may be only too true, but if so, why advertise the fact?
- To advertise the fact, they surround the pollen and the anthers that produce it with the vivid petals of a flower.
- And the truth was - the bald truth was - Lori was crazy about him.
- Historians do not make bald statements and always attempt to substantiate their point.
- The bald truth is he did the wrong thing, but perhaps he had some of the right reasons.
- The account relied more heavily on innuendo than bald statement but the message was clear.
- We recognised that the bald statement in the preceding paragraph requires amplification.
- After relating the bare facts of the suicide decades later, Dan looked away, shuddering to keep his composure.
- Loretta peered at the bare facts of Puddephat's life.
- There is only room here to outline the bare facts about cuts and the main lines of argument that surround them.
- The colder facts about the patterns of career destinations for the bulk of social science graduates are less glamorous but more diverse.
- At that stage, I did not make any connection between my irritability and my fact-finding missions.
- My older brother, who had a crush on my friend, often accompanied me on these fact-finding missions.
- Some pass the evening chatting to a Member of Parliament on a fact-finding mission.
- There is always a Member of Parliament on a fact-finding mission.
- There will also be in-depth discussion on Northern Ireland and the Mr Clinton's plan to send a fact-finding mission.
- There will be no fact-finding missions to any of the countries in question.
- This in turn means swotting up on the subject, going on fact-finding missions and meeting politicians and organisers.
- When on the fact-finding mission, my approach was a lot like yours, matter-of-fact.
- But lack of documentation limits hard evidence.
- But, again, the commission found no hard evidence that Mr Wahid had lied or misused the money.
- For a few minutes longer Isabel tried to sort out hard facts from vague suspicions, with little success.
- Its record provides hard evidence to support his picture of a service in rude health rather than decline.
- Nothing in the way of hard facts, in any event.
- There are surely many answers to this question, not one of which is impeccably established by hard evidence.
- There is no hard evidence of files spirited away and even if they were, nobody knows whether they contain anything sinister.
- This was a pseudo-historical theory for which there was no hard evidence.
- For the fact of the matter is, all the fight has been taken out of Blue.
- As a matter of fact, I have the woman's name written down somewhere.
- Well, as a matter of fact, I heard he's still going out with Julie.
- And, as a matter of fact, the U. S. Golf Association was delighted.
- I like almost all women, as a matter of fact.
- It rained all weekend, as a matter of fact, and on the Monday morning I got a shock.
- Saw her awhile back at the Community Theater, as a matter of fact.
- The wife of a prominent banker, his own banker as a matter of fact, said the banker liked mashed potatoes.
- We all were, as a matter of fact.
- Yes, it seemed to, as a matter of fact.
- You know as a matter of fact there is nothing as old as crookedness.
- Many people believe surgery is the only answer. In point of fact, a change in diet is often enough.
- Comrade Preobrazhensky preaches abstraction from politics but in point of fact, apart from politics, there is absolutely nothing in the work.
- Congar had in point of fact expressed himself cautiously enough, yet several of his books were proscribed.
- It was clearly something more than a mere mortal storm and in point of fact Juno was back of it.
- This has, in point of fact, always struck me as behaviour verging on the pathological.
- What do I say, in point of fact?
- "Please stick to the facts," said the judge.
- But caution is required where miracles come into play; let us stick to the facts.
- Try to stick to the subject of the row rather than bringing up 25 years' worth of misdemeanours.
- Reporters sometimes stretch the facts to catch a reader's eye.
WORD FAMILYnounfactadjectivefactualadverbfactually
1true information [countable] a piece of information that is known to be truefact about The book is full of facts about the World Cup.fact of First of all, we need to know the facts of the case.it’s a fact/that’s a fact (=used to emphasize that something is definitely true or that something definitely happened) The divorce rate is twice as high as in the 1950s – that’s a fact.is that a fact? (=used to reply to a statement that you find surprising, interesting, or difficult to believe) ‘She used to be a professional singer.’ ‘Is that a fact?’2the fact (that) used when talking about a situation and saying that it is true: Our decision to build the museum in Hartlepool was influenced by the fact that there were no national museums in the North East. He refused to help me, despite the fact that I asked him several times.given the fact (that)/in view of the fact (that) (=used when saying that a particular fact influences your judgment about something or someone) Given the fact that this is their first game, I think they did pretty well.due to the fact (that)/owing to the fact (that) (=because) The school’s poor exam record is largely due to the fact that it is chronically underfunded. The fact we didn’t win when we were so close is very disappointing.3in (actual) fact a)used when you are adding something, especially something surprising, to emphasize what you have just said: I know the mayor really well. In fact, I had dinner with her last week. b)used to emphasize that the truth about a situation is the opposite of what has been mentioned: They told me it would be cheap but in fact it cost me nearly $500. Her teachers said she was a slow learner, whereas in actual fact she was partially deaf.4the fact (of the matter) is spoken used when you are telling someone what is actually true in a particular situation, especially when this may be difficult to accept, or different from what people believe: The fact of the matter is that he’s just not up to the job.5the fact remains used to emphasize that what you are saying about a situation is true and people must realize this: The fact remains that the number of homeless people is rising daily.6real events/not a story [uncountable] situations, events etc that really happened and have not been invented OPP fiction: Much of the novel is based on fact. It’s a news reporter’s job to separate fact from fiction.7 facts and figures [plural] the basic details, numbers etc concerning a particular situation or subject: Here are a few facts and figures about the country.8 the facts speak for themselves used to say that the things that have happened or the things someone has done show clearly that something is true9after the fact after something has happened or been done, especially after a mistake has been made → as a matter of fact at matter1(4), → face facts at face2(2), → in point of fact at point1(17)COLLOCATIONSadjectivesthe basic/key facts· The report outlines the basic facts concerning the case.a well-known fact· It is a well-known fact that new cars lose a lot of their value in the first year.a little-known fact· It is a little-known fact that the actor was born in London.an interesting fact· The research revealed some interesting facts about the behaviour of cats.a curious/remarkable fact· It is a remarkable fact that elephants do not use their trunks to suck up water until they are over four months old.hard facts (=information that is definitely true and can be proven)· His theory is supported by hard facts.a historical/scientific fact· This was presented as a historical fact when it was just an opinion.the bare facts (=only the basic general facts of a situation)· We know the bare facts of his life, but nothing about what he was really like.verbsgive somebody/provide the facts· Newspapers have a duty to give their readers the facts.establish/piece together the facts (=find out what actually happened in a situation)· The police are still piecing together the facts.examine the facts· I decided to examine the facts for myself.state the facts (=say what you know is true)· Press reports often fail to state the facts completely.stick to the facts (=say only what you know is true)· Just stick to the facts when the police interview you.phrasesknow for a fact (=used to say that something is definitely true)· I know for a fact that she is older than me.get your facts right/straight (=make sure that what you say or believe is correct)· You should get your facts straight before making accusations.get your facts wrong· It’s no use putting together a beautifully-written argument if you get your facts wrong.