matters
matters — noun
1. subjects, topics, or situations that people are talking about, thinking about, o
subjects, topics, or situations that people are talking about, thinking about, or trying to deal with
Noor and her sister rarely discuss money matters during family dinners.
collocation: money / family / personal matters
The school board meets every Tuesday to settle matters about the curriculum.
matters about + topic
Andrés keeps a small notebook for jotting down matters he wants to raise at work.
Manuela's manager listed three urgent matters they had to talk about before lunch.
Wei finds it easier to write about personal matters than to talk about them face-to-face.
文法句型
matters of [noun]
such matters
these/those matters
用法筆記
Often paired with a topic word: money matters, family matters, business matters, personal matters. Distinguish from sense 2: a 'matter' that is a 'problem' usually appears in the singular (something is the matter).
常見錯誤
2. difficulties or troubles that need to be sorted out, usually used in fixed phras
difficulties or troubles that need to be sorted out, usually used in fixed phrases when something has gone wrong
Skipping breakfast only makes matters worse when you have a long meeting ahead.
fixed phrase: to make matters worse
Yael apologized, but her late arrival only made matters worse with the hostess.
The leaking pipe was bad enough, and to make matters worse, the power went out.
Matters got out of hand when the two children started throwing food across the table.
文法句型
to make matters worse
matters of concern
用法筆記
Almost always appears in fixed expressions: 'to make matters worse', 'matters got worse', 'matters of concern'. Outside these phrases, English usually picks 'problems' or 'trouble' for difficulties.
常見錯誤
3. cases, disputes, or questions of law that a court or legal team is dealing with
cases, disputes, or questions of law that a court or legal team is dealing with
Reema's firm handles tax matters for small family-owned businesses across the region.
domain: legal / tax matters
The judge said she could not comment on matters still before the court.
matters before the court
Mathieu trained as a lawyer who specializes in matters involving cross-border contracts.
Next month the auditors will review several matters relating to the company's missing accounts.
文法句型
legal matters
matters before the court
用法筆記
Formal in this sense — common in legal, official, or written contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: legal 'matters' specifically refers to cases or disputes, not casual topics of conversation.
4. physical stuff that has weight and takes up space — anything that the world arou
physical stuff that has weight and takes up space — anything that the world around us is made of
Scientists estimate that dark matter makes up most of the mass of the universe.
fixed term: dark matter
Plants take in organic matter from the soil through their roots.
fixed term: organic matter
Adaeze explained to her son that everything around us, even the air, is made of matter.
The recycling plant separates plastic matter from food waste before processing.
- energy
the opposite pole in physics — matter vs energy
文法句型
organic / inorganic / dark matter
用法筆記
This sense is uncountable — use 'matter', not 'matters'. The plural form 'matters' is not used for this meaning. Common in science contexts: organic matter, dark matter, solid / liquid / gaseous matter.
常見錯誤
5. things that have been written, printed, or sent through the post — a formal cove
things that have been written, printed, or sent through the post — a formal cover term for letters, leaflets, and books
Sana sorts the printed matter into three piles: bills, magazines, and personal letters.
fixed term: printed matter
The post office charges a lower rate for books and other reading matter.
fixed term: reading matter
Customs officers searched the parcel for any postal matter that was banned in the country.
Wren packed plenty of reading matter for the long train journey across the country.
- publications
more specific; for things issued by a publisher
- literature
wider; can mean printed information on any topic
文法句型
reading / printed / postal matter
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — use 'matter', not 'matters'. Mostly found in fixed compounds (reading matter, printed matter, postal matter) and formal or technical writing.
6. the reason for, or source of, a particular feeling — most often used in the fixe
the reason for, or source of, a particular feeling — most often used in the fixed expressions 'a matter of pride / regret / concern'
Winning the regional spelling bee was a matter of great pride for Aarav's whole family.
fixed phrase: a matter of pride
Élise said the disappearance of the old library was a matter of deep regret to her.
a matter of regret
Air pollution in the city has become a matter of serious concern for parents and teachers.
Whether to keep the family farm is a matter for the cousins to decide together.
文法句型
a matter of [noun]
a matter for [noun]
用法筆記
Almost always singular in these fixed expressions ('a matter of pride'); the plural 'matters' is rare here. If you mean general topics, see sense 1 instead.
7. the part of a book, speech, or essay that has real ideas and useful information
the part of a book, speech, or essay that has real ideas and useful information — not the jokes, padding, or light entertainment around it
Charlotte praised the history book for its solid matter on the war years and its gentle humor.
solid / serious + matter on + topic
Despite the funny opening, the speech contained plenty of solid matter on climate change.
solid / serious + matter
Critics felt the second half of the play offered more genuine matter than the first.
Naoko's essays are short, but each one holds a surprising amount of matter for its length.
文法句型
the matter of [a book / speech]
用法筆記
Uncountable and somewhat literary in this sense — use 'matter', not 'matters'. Distinguish from sense 5 (printed matter = physical paper objects); this sense is about the substance of the ideas, not the paper they sit on.
8. a rough amount or length of time, used when the number is small or the exact fig
a rough amount or length of time, used when the number is small or the exact figure is not the point
The bus to the airport leaves in a matter of minutes, so please grab your bag.
a matter of minutes / seconds / hours
Baraka finished the long crossword in a matter of twenty minutes over coffee.
The forest fire spread across a matter of kilometers before the rescue team arrived.
Lien said the surgery would be over in a matter of hours, not days.
- just
informal alternative; 'just minutes away'
文法句型
a matter of [number/time/measurement]
用法筆記
Only the singular form 'a matter of' works here — never 'matters of minutes'. The phrase signals that the amount is small or quick.
常見錯誤
matters — verb
1. if something matters, it is important — people care about it, and changes to it
if something matters, it is important — people care about it, and changes to it have real effects on their lives
Your kindness really matters to the people who live in this neighborhood, Brooke.
X matters to Y
It matters whether students get enough sleep before the morning exam.
it matters whether + clause
What matters most to Indra is that her grandfather can still walk in the garden.
Every vote matters in a small town election with only two hundred voters.
Leo says it doesn't matter to him if the new coach is from England or Spain.
- count
informal alternative; 'every vote counts'
- be important
the direct paraphrase; slightly more formal
- be irrelevant
formal opposite
文法句型
X matters to Y
what matters most is …
it matters whether/if …
用法筆記
Usually appears in the third person ('matters', 'mattered'). Common in the fixed pattern 'It doesn't matter (whether/if/what/who) …' to mean something is unimportant. Subject is usually an abstract idea or fact, not a person.
常見錯誤
matters — idiom
1. the way things are at this moment — used to describe the present situation befor
the way things are at this moment — used to describe the present situation before saying what might happen next
As matters stand, the team will fly out on Friday unless the storm gets worse.
sentence-initial: As matters stand, …
Zuri explained that, as matters stand, the school has no spare classrooms for next term.
Nellie cannot promise a refund, since, as matters stand, the company is still waiting on the parts.
As matters stand today, only three of the eight runners are healthy enough to race.
- as things are
less formal everyday version
- at present
shorter and more formal
文法句型
as matters stand, …
用法筆記
Almost always placed at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma. Slightly formal; in everyday speech people say 'right now' or 'at the moment' instead.