Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense matters, present participle mattering, past tense, past participle mattered
1. countable noun
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? [+ for]
Business matters drew him to Paris.
2. plural noun [no det]
You use matters to refer to the situation you are talking about, especially when something is affecting the situation in some way.
The new system should improve matters.
If it would facilitate matters, I would be happy to come to New York.
Matters took an unexpected turn.
3. singular noun
If you say that a situation is amatterof 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. [+ of]
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. [+ of]
4. uncountable noun
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.
Better education created an ever-larger demand for printed matter.
...a rich variety of reading matter.
5. uncountable noun
Matter is the physical part of the universe consisting of solids, liquids, and gases.
A proton is an elementary particle of matter.
He has spent his career studying how matter behaves.
Synonyms: substance, material, body, stuff More Synonyms of matter
6. uncountable noun
You use matter to refer to a particular type of substance.
They feed mostly on decaying vegetable matter.
...waste matter from industries.
7. singular noun
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.
[Also + with]
Synonyms: problem, worry, trouble, difficulty More Synonyms of matter
8. singular noun
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.
[emphasis]
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]
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 youor on a particular situation.
A lot of the food goes on the floor but that doesn't matter. [VERB]
As for Laura and me, the colour of our skin has never mattered. [VERB]
As long as staff are smart, it does not matter how long their hair is. [VERB wh]
Does it matter that people don't know this? [VERB that]
Money is the only thing that matters to them. [VERB + to]
Synonyms: be important, make a difference, count, be relevant More Synonyms of matter
10. See also grey matter, subject matter
11.
See another matter/a different matter
12.
See as a matter of
13.
See no easy matter
14.
See that's the end of the matter/that's an end to the matter
15.
See the fact of the matter/the truth of the matter
16.
See for that matter
17.
See it doesn't matter
18.
See it doesn't matter
19.
See no laughing matter
20.
See make matters worse
21.
See no matter
22.
See no matter
23.
See no matter what
24.
See a matter of opinion
25.
See a matter of time
26. a matter of life and death
27. as a matter of course
28. as a matter of fact
29. mind over matter
More Synonyms of matter
matter in British English
(ˈmætə)
noun
1.
that which makes up something, esp a physical object; material
2.
substance that occupies space and has mass, as distinguished from substance that is mental, spiritual, etc
3.
substance of a specified type
vegetable matter
reading matter
4. (sometimes foll byof or for)
thing; affair; concern; question
a matter of taste
several matters to attend to
no laughing matter
5.
a quantity or amount
a matter of a few pence
6.
the content of written or verbal material as distinct from its style or form
7. (used with a negative)
importance; consequence
8. philosophy
(in the writings of Aristotle and the Scholastics) that which is itself formless but can receive form and become substance
9. philosophy
(in the Cartesian tradition) one of two basic modes of existence, the other being mind: matter being extended in space as well as time
10. printing
a.
type set up, either standing or for use
b.
copy to be set in type
11.
a secretion or discharge, such as pus
12. law
a.
something to be proved
b.
statements or allegations to be considered by a court
13. for that matter
14. grey matter
15. no matter
16. the matter
verb(intransitive)
17.
to be of consequence or importance
18.
to form and discharge pus
Word origin
C13 (n), C16 (vb): from Latin māteria cause, substance, esp wood, or a substance that produces something else; relatedto māter mother
matter in American English
(ˈmætər)
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 = mc2 (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 spokenor written; content, as distinguished from manner, style, or form
5.
an amount or quantity, usually indefinite
a matter of a few days
6.
a.
something that is the subject of discussion, concern, action, etc.; thing or affair
business matters
b.
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
8.
a.
an important affair; thing of some moment or significance
b.
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. Philosophy
that which has yet to take on form; undifferentiated substance of reality or experience
14. Printing
a.
written material prepared, or to be prepared, for printing; copy
b.
copy ready to be printed
verb intransitive
15.
to be of importance or consequence; have significance
the things that matter to one
16.
to form and discharge pus; suppurate
Idioms:
as a matter of fact
for that matter
no matter
Word origin
ME matiere < OFr < L materia, material, stuff, wood (< base of mater, mother1), orig., the growing trunk of a tree
More idioms containing
matter
mind over matter
COBUILD Collocations
matter
complex matter
disciplinary matter
domestic matter
important matter
internal matter
minor matter
personal matter
practical matter
pressing matter
serious matter
simple matter
trivial matter
urgent matter
Examples of 'matter' in a sentence
matter
Do use this for something that really matters.
The Sun (2017)
Whether you do it is another matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At the end it matters if you win or not.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Not that it will matter for long.
The Sun (2017)
Who decides matters of life or death?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This matters a lot to them.
The Sun (2016)
In a team sport, the harmony of the changing room matters a great deal.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Whether they're prepared to squeeze into them again is a different matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No formal complaint had been made and the matter was referred back to the inquiry, a spokeswoman said.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When you are running furnaces the cost of energy matters a great deal.
The Sun (2016)
You have maximum influence over a partner so use it for something that matters.
The Sun (2010)
Whether they take it is another matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We have sold it as such and that is an end to the matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Parking was no longer a police matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This matters a whole lot more than the price.
The Sun (2016)
So was this to be my reading matter for the next few years?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Those who bring public attention to ecological matters are sometimes referred to as pressure groups.
Lashford, Stephanie The Residue Report - an action plan for safer food (1988)
Your life matters just as much as hers.
The Sun (2012)
This strikes me as a matter of some importance.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The matter has been discussed and dealt with.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We must ensure that training for junior doctors is improved as a matter of urgency.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Young people are not unconcerned about this matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It does not matter whether his form of energy lies in his brains or in his capacity for manual skill.
Eccleshall, Robert English Conservatism since the Restoration: An introduction and anthology (1990)
He said: 'What matters is the calibre of the player.
The Sun (2006)
Insiders said the move was 'a matter of hours' away last night.
The Sun (2009)
He asserts that the US Government is making matters worse.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Quotations
What is matter? - Never mind. What is mind? - No matterPunch
In other languages
matter
British English: matter /ˈmætə/ NOUN
A matter is a task, situation, or event which you have to deal with or think about.
...business matters.
American English: matter
Arabic: مَسْأَلَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: assunto
Chinese: 事件
Croatian: pitanje
Czech: záležitost
Danish: sag
Dutch: kwestie
European Spanish: materia
Finnish: aine
French: matière
German: Materie
Greek: ύλη
Italian: questione
Japanese: 物質
Korean: 문제
Norwegian: grunnstoff
Polish: materia
European Portuguese: matéria
Romanian: chestiune
Russian: дело
Latin American Spanish: asunto
Swedish: sak
Thai: สิ่งที่ต้องทำ
Turkish: madde fizik
Ukrainian: справа
Vietnamese: vấn đề
British English: matter /ˈmætə/ VERB
If something matters, it is important because it has an effect on a situation.
Most young people take their music seriously; it matters to them.