Definition of "matter"

matter

/ˈmætə/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural matters
1. (uncountable) Material; substance.
  1. (physics) The basic structural component of the universe, usually having mass and volume.
  2. (physics) Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles.
  3. A kind of substance.
  4. Printed material, especially in books or magazines.
  5. (philosophy) Aristotelian: undeveloped potentiality subject to change and development; formlessness. Matter receives form, and becomes substance.
2. An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.
  Quotations
  So in many armies, if the matter ſhould bee tried by duell betvvene tvvo Champions, the victory ſhould goe on the one ſide, & yet if it be tried by the groſſe, it vvould goe on the other ſide: for excellencies goe as it vvere by chance, but kinds goe by a more certaine Nature, as by Diſcipline in vvarre.
  1597, Francis [Bacon], “Of the Colours of Good and Evill, a Fragment”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland […], published 1632
  Son of God, Saviour of men! Thy name / Shall be the copious matter of my song.
  1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  Every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Exodus xviii:22
  The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; […] . Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.
  1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
  The matter of whether the world needs a fourth Ice Age movie pales beside the question of why there were three before it, but Continental Drift feels less like an extension of a theatrical franchise than an episode of a middling TV cartoon, lolling around on territory that’s already been settled.
  2012 July 12, Sam Adams, “Ice Age: Continental Drift”, in AV Club
3. An approximate amount or extent.
  Quotations
  No small matter of British forces were commanded over sea the year before.
  1670, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […]
  Away he goes, […] a matter of seven miles.
  1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […]
  […] I have Thoughts to tarry a ſmall Matter in Town, to learn ſomewhat of your Lingo firſt, before I croſs the Seas.
  1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], Act III, scene xv, page 47
4. (countable, law) Legal services provided by a lawyer or firm to their client in relation to a particular issue.
5. (obsolete) Essence; pith; embodiment.
  Quotations
  He is the matter of virtue.
  1611, Ben Jonson, Oberon, the Faery Prince
6. (obsolete) (The) inducing cause or reason, especially of anything disagreeable or distressing.
  Quotations
  And this is the matter why interpreters upon that passage in Hosea will not consent it to be a true story, that the prophet took a harlot to wife.
  1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], book
7. (dated, medicine) Pus.
8. (uncountable) Importance.
  Quotations
  What matter if we unrewarded must strive, / If Wall Street and gamblers around it may thrive? / What matter if we doubly pay for our food / To support the monopolist kings of the road?
  1880, Bernard Nulty, The Patriot Chief: And Other Poems, page 211
verb
third-person singular simple present matters, present participle mattering, simple past and past participle mattered
1. (intransitive, stative) To be important.
  Quotations
  As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, […]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. […] I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.
  1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company
  Despite further attempts by Agbonlahor and Young, however, they could not find the goal to reward their endeavour.It mattered little as Newcastle's challenge faded and Villa began to dominate the game in midfield, and it was only Barton's continued sense of injustice that offered the visitors any spark in a tame contest.
  2011 April 10, Alistair Magowan, “Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport
2. (transitive, in negative constructions, now England regional, Caribbean) To care about, to mind; to find important.
  Quotations
  Besides, if it had been out of doors I had not mattered it so much; but with my own servant, in my own house, under my own roof […]
  1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […]
  He matter'd not that, he said; coy maids made the fondest wives […].
  1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LVI”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […]
3. (intransitive, medicine, archaic) To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate.
  Quotations
  Each slight sore mattereth.
  a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912,

Definition of "matter"

matter

noun

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations