matter
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mat·ter
(măt′ər)matter
(ˈmætə)mat•ter
(ˈmæt ər)n.
mat·ter
(măt′ər)Matter
2. attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of intellectual and spiritual values. — materialist, n. — materialistic, adj.
matter
The matter is used after what, something, anything, or nothing to talk about a problem or difficulty. You use the matter in the same way as an adjective like wrong. For example, instead of saying 'Is something wrong?' you can say 'Is something the matter?'
Be Careful!
Don't use 'the matter' with this meaning in other types of sentence. Don't say, for example, 'The matter is that we don't know where she is'. Say 'The problem is that we don't know where she is' or 'The trouble is that we don't know where she is'.
When someone apologizes to you, you can say 'It doesn't matter.' Don't say 'No matter'.
You use no matter in expressions such as no matter what and no matter how to say that something happens or is true in all circumstances.
Don't use no matter to mention something that makes your main statement seem surprising. Don't say, for example, 'No matter the rain, we carried on playing'. Say 'In spite of the rain, we carried on playing' or 'Despite the rain, we carried on playing'
A matter is a situation that someone has to deal with.
You can use the plural form matters to refer to a situation that has just been discussed.
Be Careful!
When matters has this meaning, don't put 'the' in front of it. Don't say, for example 'His attitude did not help the matters.'
matter
Past participle: mattered
Gerund: mattering
Imperative |
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matter |
matter |
matter
Noun | 1. | matter - a vaguely specified concern; "several matters to attend to"; "it is none of your affair"; "things are going well" concern - something that interests you because it is important or affects you; "the safety of the ship is the captain's concern" least - something that is of no importance; "it is the least I can do"; "that is the least of my concerns" |
2. | matter - some situation or event that is thought about; "he kept drifting off the topic"; "he had been thinking about the subject for several years"; "it is a matter for the police" cognitive content, mental object, content - the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned area - a subject of study; "it was his area of specialization"; "areas of interest include..." blind spot - a subject about which you are ignorant or prejudiced and fail to exercise good judgment; "golf is one of his blind spots and he's proud of it" remit - the topic that a person, committee, or piece of research is expected to deal with or has authority to deal with; "they set up a group with a remit to suggest ways for strengthening family life" res adjudicata, res judicata - a matter already settled in court; cannot be raised again | |
3. | matter - that which has mass and occupies space; "physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it" physical entity - an entity that has physical existence substance - the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; "DNA is the substance of our genes" substance - a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties; "shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man" ylem - (cosmology) the original matter that (according to the big bang theory) existed before the formation of the chemical elements dark matter - (cosmology) a hypothetical form of matter that is believed to make up 90 percent of the universe; it is invisible (does not absorb or emit light) and does not collide with atomic particles but exerts gravitational force antimatter - matter consisting of elementary particles that are the antiparticles of those making up normal substances glop - any gummy shapeless matter; usually unpleasant fluid - continuous amorphous matter that tends to flow and to conform to the outline of its container: a liquid or a gas system - (physical chemistry) a sample of matter in which substances in different phases are in equilibrium; "in a static system oil cannot be replaced by water on a surface"; "a system generating hydrogen peroxide" residue - matter that remains after something has been removed solid - matter that is solid at room temperature and pressure solute - the dissolved matter in a solution; the component of a solution that changes its state emanation - something that is emitted or radiated (as a gas or an odor or a light, etc.) vegetable matter - matter produced by plants or growing in the manner of a plant | |
4. | matter - a problem; "is anything the matter?" | |
5. | matter - (used with negation) having consequence; "they were friends and it was no matter who won the games" consequence, moment, import - having important effects or influence; "decisions of great consequence are made by the president himself"; "virtue is of more moment than security"; "that result is of no consequence" | |
6. | matter - written works (especially in books or magazines); "he always took some reading matter with him on the plane" piece of writing, written material, writing - the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect); "the writing in her novels is excellent"; "that editorial was a fine piece of writing" dictation - matter that has been dictated and transcribed; a dictated passage; "he signed and mailed his dictation without bothering to read it" text, textual matter - the words of something written; "there were more than a thousand words of text"; "they handed out the printed text of the mayor's speech"; "he wants to reconstruct the original text" text - the main body of a written work (as distinct from illustrations or footnotes etc.); "pictures made the text easier to understand" typescript - typewritten matter especially a typewritten copy of a manuscript front matter, prelims - written matter preceding the main text of a book back matter, end matter - written matter following the main text of a book soft copy - (computer science) matter that is in a form that a computer can store or display it on a computer screen; "he sent them soft copy of the report" hard copy - (computer science) matter that is held in a computer and is typed or printed on paper; "he ran off a hard copy of the report" addendum, supplement, postscript - textual matter that is added onto a publication; usually at the end recitation - written matter that is recited from memory | |
Verb | 1. | matter - have weight; have import, carry weight; "It does not matter much" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" |
matter
"What is matter? - Never mind."
"What is mind? - No matter" Punch
matter
nounmatter
[ˈmætəʳ]advertising matter → material m publicitario
printed matter → impresos mpl
in this matter → en este asunto
that's quite another matter, that's another matter altogether → ésa es otra cuestión, eso es totalmente distinto
business matters → negocios mpl
the matter is closed → el asunto está concluido
as a matter of course → automáticamente
it's a matter of course with us → con nosotros es cosa de cajón
that's a very different matter → ésa es otra cuestión, eso es totalmente distinto
it's an easy matter to phone him → es cosa fácil llamarle
it will be no easy matter → no será fácil
as a matter of fact as a matter of fact I know her very well → de hecho or en realidad la conozco muy bien
I don't like it, as a matter of fact I'm totally against it → no me gusta, de hecho estoy totalmente en contra
"don't tell me you like it?" - "as a matter of fact I do" → -no me digas que te gusta -pues sí, la verdad es que sí
as a matter of fact we were just talking about you → precisamente estábamos hablando de ti
for that matter → en realidad
it's a matter of form → es pura formalidad
the matter in hand → la cuestión del momento
money matters → asuntos mpl financieros
it is no great matter → es poca cosa, no importa
in the matter of → en cuanto a, en lo que se refiere
there's the matter of my wages → queda el asunto de mi sueldo
it will be a matter of a few weeks → será cuestión de unas semanas
a matter of minutes → cosa de minutos
it's a matter of a couple of hours → es cosa de un par de horas
in a matter of ten minutes → en cosa de diez minutos
it's a matter of great concern to us → es motivo de gran preocupación para nosotros
it's a matter of taste → es cuestión de gusto
it's a serious matter → es cosa seria
as matters stand → tal como están las cosas
to make matters worse → para colmo de males
see also laughing A
see also mince B2
no matter how you do it → no importa cómo lo hagas
no matter how big it is → por grande que sea
no matter how hot it is → por mucho calor que haga
get one, no matter how → procura uno, del modo que sea
no matter what he says → diga lo que diga
what matter? (frm) → ¿qué importa?
no matter when → no importa cuándo
no matter who goes → quienquiera que vaya
what's the matter with you? → ¿qué te pasa?, ¿qué tienes?
what's the matter with Tony? → ¿qué le pasa a Tony?
something's the matter with the lights → algo les pasa a las luces, algo pasa con las luces
what's the matter with my hat? → ¿qué pasa con mi sombrero?
what's the matter with singing? → ¿por qué no se puede cantar?, ¿es que está prohibido cantar?
nothing's the matter → no pasa nada
as if nothing were the matter → como si no hubiese pasado nada, como si tal cosa
does it matter to you if I go? → ¿te importa que yo vaya?
why should it matter to me? → ¿a mí qué me importa or qué más me da?
it doesn't matter (unimportant) → no importa; (no preference) → (me) da igual or lo mismo
what does it matter? → ¿qué más da?, ¿y qué?
some things matter more than others → algunas cosas son más importantes que otras
matter
[ˈmætər]a matter of → une question de
It's a matter of habit → C'est une question d'habitude.
it's a matter of life and death → c'est une question de vie ou de mort
it is only a matter of time → ce n'est qu'une question de temps
It would be only a matter of time before he left → Ce ne serait qu'une question de temps avant qu'il ne parte.
to be a matter of opinion → être une question d'opinion
that's another matter, that's a different matter → c'est une autre histoire, c'est une autre affaire
that's quite a different matter → c'est une toute autre histoire, c'est une toute autre affaire
it's no easy matter → ce n'est pas chose facile
it's no laughing matter → il n'y a pas de quoi rire
that's the end of the matter → point final
He's moving in, and that's the end of the matter → Il emménage, point final.
the fact of the matter is (that) ... → le fait est que ...
the truth of the matter is (that) ... (= the truth is) → la vérité c'est que ...
waste matter → matières résiduelles
vegetable matter → matières végétales, matière végétale
The termites feed almost entirely on vegetable matter → Les termites se nourrissent presque exclusivement de matières végétales. organic matter, reading matter
I need to talk to him as a matter of urgency → J'ai besoin de lui parler d'urgence.
as a matter of course adv → systématiquement
They are carrying arms as a matter of course → Ils sont systématiquement armés.
Shouldn't I be told all this as a matter of course? → Ne devrais-je pas être systématiquement informé de tout ceci?
The best companies do this for staff as a matter of course → C'est une chose que les meilleures compagnies font systématiquement pour leur personnel.
as a matter of fact adv → en fait
for that matter adv → d'ailleurs
He'd not seen her, nor for that matter had anyone else → Il ne l'avait pas vue, et personne d'autre non plus d'ailleurs.
what's the matter with him? → qu'est-ce qu'il a ?
what's the matter with your office? → qu'est-ce qui ne va pas à ton bureau?
she told him there was nothing the matter → elle lui a dit que tout allait bien
In a matter of days she was back at work → En l'espace de quelques jours, elle était de retour au travail.
in a matter of hours → en l'espace de quelques heures
I'll do it no matter what → Je le ferai quoi qu'il arrive. (= whatever happened) → quoi qu'il advienne
He had decided to publish the manuscript no matter what → Il avait décidé de publier le manuscrit quoi qu'il advienne.
no matter what your age → quel que soit votre âge
no matter how small it is, no matter how small → aussi petit soit-il (or aussi petite soit-elle)
Any dog bite, no matter how small, needs immediate medical attention → Toute morsure de chien, aussi petite soit-elle, doit être examinée par un médecin.
no matter who you are → qui que vous soyez
no matter who you are or where you're from → qui que vous soyez et quel que soit l'endroit d'où vous venez
It is hard to see how this would improve matters → On ne voit guère comment cela pourrait améliorer les choses.
to make matters worse → aggraver les choses
Don't let yourself despair, that will just make matters worse → Ne vous laissez pas aller au désespoir, cela ne ferait qu'aggraver les choses.
It's the only thing that matters → C'est la seule chose qui compte., C'est la seule chose qui importe.
to matter to sb
It matters a lot to me → C'est très important pour moi.
it doesn't matter (= it's not important) → cela n'a pas d'importance
"Shall I phone today or tomorrow?" - "Whenever, it doesn't matter." → "Est-ce que j'appelle aujourd'hui ou demain?" - "Quand tu veux, cela n'a pas d'importance." (= I don't mind) → cela ne fait rien, ça ne fait rien
"I can't give you the money today." - "It doesn't matter." → "Je ne peux pas te donner l'argent aujourd'hui." - "Ça ne fait rien."
it doesn't matter anymore → cela n'a plus d'importance
Under the new rules, this doesn't matter any more → Avec le nouveau réglement, cela n'a plus d'importance.matter-of-fact [ˌmætərəvˈfækt] adj [person, statement] → neutre
matter
matter
[ˈmætəʳ]colouring matter → colorante m
foreign matter → sostanza estranea
advertising matter → pubblicità f inv
reading matter (Brit) → qualcosa da leggere
money matters → questioni finanziarie
the matter in hand → l'argomento or la faccenda in questione
there's the matter of my wages → ci sarebbe la questione del mio stipendio
and to make matters worse ... → e come se non bastasse...
that will only make matters worse → questo servirà solo a peggiorare la situazione
it's a matter of great concern to us → è una cosa che ci preoccupa molto
it's no laughing matter → è una cosa or faccenda seria
it will be a matter of a few weeks → ci vorrà qualche settimana
it's a matter of a few pounds → si tratta di poche sterline
in the matter of → in fatto di, per quanto riguarda
for that matter → peraltro
as a matter of course → di conseguenza, come cosa naturale
as a matter of fact → per (dire) la verità, in verità
it's a matter of opinion → è una questione di punti di vista
that's another matter → quella è un'altra faccenda
it's a matter of habit → è una questione di abitudine
do it, no matter how → non importa come, basta che tu lo faccia
no matter how you do it → comunque tu lo faccia
no matter what → qualsiasi cosa accada
no matter what he says → qualsiasi or qualunque cosa dica
no matter how big it is → per quanto grande sia
no matter when → in qualunque momento
no matter who → chiunque
what's the matter with you? → cos'hai?
what's the matter with my hair? → cos'hanno i miei capelli che non va?
there's something the matter with my arm → c'è qualcosa che non va al braccio
as if nothing was the matter → come se niente fosse
something's the matter with the lights → le luci hanno qualcosa che non va
nothing's the matter → non è successo niente
nothing's the matter with me → non ho niente
it doesn't matter (I don't mind) → non importa, non fa niente
what does it matter? → cosa importa?, che importanza ha?
what does it matter to you? → ma a te che te ne importa?
why should it matter to me? → e perché dovrebbe importarmi?