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mattermore about matter

matter


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Matter  \Mat"ter\,  n.  [OE.  matere,  F.  mati[`e]re,  fr  L.  materia; 
  perh.  akin  to  L.  mater  mother.  Cf  {Mother},  {Madeira}, 
  {Material}.] 
  1.  That  of  which  anything  is  composed;  constituent  substance; 
  material;  the  material  or  substantial  part  of  anything 
  the  constituent  elements  of  conception;  that  into  which  a 
  notion  may  be  analyzed;  the  essence;  the  pith;  the 
  embodiment. 
 
  He  is  the  matter  of  virtue.  --B.  Jonson 
 
  2.  That  of  which  the  sensible  universe  and  all  existent 
  bodies  are  composed;  anything  which  has  extension, 
  occupies  space,  or  is  perceptible  by  the  senses  body; 
  substance. 
 
  Note:  Matter  is  usually  divided  by  philosophical  writers  into 
  three  kinds  or  classes:  solid,  liquid,  and  a["e]riform. 
  Solid  substances  are  those  whose  parts  firmly  cohere 
  and  resist  impression,  as  wood  or  stone.  Liquids  have 
  free  motion  among  their  parts  and  easily  yield  to 
  impression,  as  water  and  wine.  A["e]riform  substances 
  are  elastic  fluids,  called  vapors  and  gases,  as  air  and 
  oxygen  gas. 
 
  3.  That  with  regard  to  or  about  which  anything  takes  place 
  or  is  done  the  thing  aimed  at  treated  of  or  treated; 
  subject  of  action  discussion,  consideration,  feeling, 
  complaint,  legal  action  or  the  like  theme.  ``If  the 
  matter  should  be  tried  by  duel.''  --Bacon. 
 
  Son  of  God,  Savior  of  men  !  Thy  name  Shall  be  the 
  copious  matter  of  my  song.  --Milton. 
 
  Every  great  matter  they  shall  bring  unto  thee,  but 
  every  small  matter  they  shall  judge.  --Ex.  xviii. 
  22. 
 
  4.  That  which  one  has  to  treat,  or  with  which  one  has  to  do 
  concern;  affair;  business. 
 
  To  help  the  matter,  the  alchemists  call  in  many 
  vanities  out  of  astrology.  --Bacon. 
 
  Some  young  female  seems  to  have  carried  matters  so 
  far  that  she  is  ripe  for  asking  advice. 
  --Spectator. 
 
  5.  Affair  worthy  of  account;  thing  of  consequence; 
  importance;  significance;  moment;  --  chiefly  in  the 
  phrases  what  matter  ?  no  matter,  and  the  like 
 
  A  prophet  some  and  some  a  poet,  cry;  No  matter 
  which  so  neither  of  them  lie.  --Dryden. 
 
  6.  Inducing  cause  or  occasion,  especially  of  anything 
  disagreeable  or  distressing;  difficulty;  trouble. 
 
  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. 
  --Milton. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Matter  \Mat"ter\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Mattered};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Mattering}.] 
  1.  To  be  of  importance;  to  import;  to  signify. 
 
  It  matters  not  how  they  were  called  --Locke. 
 
  2.  To  form  pus  or  matter,  as  an  abscess;  to  maturate.  [R.] 
  ``Each  slight  sore  mattereth.''  --Sir  P.  Sidney. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Matter  \Mat"ter\,  v.  t. 
  To  regard  as  important;  to  take  account  of  to  care  for 
  [Obs.] 
 
  He  did  not  matter  cold  nor  hunger.  --H.  Brooke. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  matter 
  n  1:  a  vaguely  specified  concern;  "several  matters  to  attend  to"; 
  "it  is  none  of  your  affair";  "things  are  going  well" 
  [syn:  {affair},  {thing}] 
  2:  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"  [syn:  {topic},  {subject},  {issue}] 
  3:  that  which  has  mass  and  occupies  space;  "an  atom  is  the 
  smallest  indivisible  unit  of  matter"  [syn:  {substance}] 
  4:  a  problem;  "is  anything  the  matter?" 
  5:  (used  with  negation)  having  consequence;  "they  were  friends 
  and  it  was  no  matter  who  won  the  games" 
  6:  written  material  (especially  in  books  or  magazines);  "he 
  always  took  some  reading  matter  with  him  on  the  plane" 
  [syn:  {material}] 
  v  :  have  weight;  have  import,  carry  weight;  "It  does  not  matter 
  much"  [syn:  {count},  {weigh}] 




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