matter /ˈmætə/ CET4 TEM4 ( mattering, mattered, matters )

• 1. 

  N-COUNT A matter is a task, situation, or event which you have to deal with or think about, especially one that involves problems. 事情

  例：

  It was clear that she wanted to discuss some private matter.

  很明显她想讨论一些私事。

  例：

  Business matters drew him to Louisville.

  生意上的事情吸引他去路易斯维尔。

• 2. 

  N-PLURAL You use matters to refer to the situation you are talking about, especially when something is affecting the situation in some way. 事态 [no det]

  例：

  We have no objection to this change, but doubt that it will significantly improve matters.

  我们不反对这种变化，但怀疑这是否将明显地改善事态。

  例：

  If it would facilitate matters, I would be happy to come to New York.

  如果这有利于事态，我将乐意来纽约。

• 3. 

  N-SING If you say that a situation is a matter of 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. 问题

  例：

  History is always a matter of interpretation.

  历史总是一个诠释的问题。

  例：

  Observance of the law is a matter of principle for us.

  遵守法律对于我们是一个原则问题。

• 4. 

  N-UNCOUNT 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. (印刷或阅读的) 物品

  例：

  ...the government's plans to place a tax on printed matter.

  …政府对印刷品征税的计划。

• 5. 

  N-UNCOUNT Matter is the physical part of the universe consisting of solids, liquids, and gases. 物质

  例：

  A proton is an elementary particle of matter that possesses a positive charge.

  质子是带正电荷的物质的基本粒子。

• 6. 

  N-UNCOUNT You use matter to refer to a particular type of substance. 物料

  例：

  ...waste matter from industries.

  …来自工业的废料。

• 7. 

  N-SING 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. 麻烦事

  例：

  Carole, what's the matter? You don't seem happy.

  卡萝尔，你怎么啦？你好像不高兴。

• 8. 

  N-SING 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. 仅仅 [强调]

  例：

  Within a matter of days she was back at work.

  仅仅几天之后，她又回来工作了。

• 9. 

  V-T/V-I 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 you or on a particular situation. 要紧 [no cont, usu with brd-neg]

  例：

  A lot of the food goes on the floor but that doesn't matter.

  很多食物掉在地板上，但是那不要紧。

  例：

  As long as staff members are well-groomed, it does not matter how long their hair is.

  只要工作人员打扮整齐，他们的头发多长不要紧。

• 10. 

  → see also subject matter

• 11. 

  PHRASE If you say that something is another matter or a different matter, you mean that it is very different from the situation that you have just discussed. 另一码事

  例：

  Being responsible for one's own health is one thing, but being responsible for another person's health is quite a different matter.

  对自己的健康负责是一码事，但对别人的健康负责完全是另一码事。

• 12. 

  PHRASE If you are going to do something as a matter of urgency or priority, you are going to do it as soon as possible, because it is important. 作为…的事情

  例：

  Your doctors can help a great deal and you need to talk about it with them as a matter of urgency.

  你的医生能够帮你很大的忙，你应该把此事当作紧急情况和他们谈谈。

• 13. 

  PHRASE If something is no easy matter, it is difficult to do it. 并非易事

  例：

  Choosing the colour for the living-room walls was no easy matter.

  为起居室的墙壁选择颜色并非易事。

• 14. 

  PHRASE If someone says that's the end of the matter or that's an end to the matter, they mean that a decision that has been taken must not be changed or discussed any more. 此事已定

  例：

  "He's moving in here," Maria said. "So that's the end of the matter."

  “他就要搬来住了，”玛丽亚说。“所以此事已定。”

• 15. 

  PHRASE You use the fact of the matter is or the truth of the matter is to introduce a fact which supports what you are saying or which is not widely known, for example because it is a secret. 事实

  例：

  The fact of the matter is that most people consume far more protein than they actually need.

  事实是大多数人摄入的蛋白质比他们真正需要的要多。

• 16. 

  CONVENTION You say "it doesn't matter" to tell someone who is apologizing to you that you are not angry or upset, and that they should not worry. 没关系

  例：

  "Did I wake you?"—"Yes, but it doesn't matter."

  “我把您吵醒了吗？” — “是的，不过没关系。”

• 17. 

  PHRASE If you say that something makes matters worse, you mean that it makes a difficult situation even more difficult. 使情况变得更糟

  例：

  Don't let yourself despair; this will only make matters worse.

  别让你自己绝望；这样将只会使情况变得更糟。

• 18. 

  PHRASE You use no matter in expressions such as "no matter how" and "no matter what" to say that something is true or happens in all circumstances. 不管…

  例：

  No matter what your age, you can lose weight by following this programme.

  不管你多大年龄，你都可以通过这个方案减轻体重。

• 19. 

  a matter of life and death →see death

• 20. 

  as a matter of course →see course

• 21. 

  as a matter of fact →see fact