English Phrase of the Day

Definitions

English > English
as a matter of fact
1. prep. (modal) Actually, in fact.
Analysis
As
1. n. plural of A
She went from getting Cs and Ds to earning straight As.
2. adv. To such an extent or degree.
You’re not as tall as I am.
It's not as well made, but it's twice as expensive.
a
1. art. One; any indefinite example of; used to denote a singular item of a group.
There was a man here looking for you yesterday.
2. art. Used in conjunction with the adjectives score, dozen, hundred, thousand, and million, as a function word.
I've seen it happen a hundred times.
3. art. One certain or particular; any single.Brown, Lesley, (2003)
matter		©
1. n. Substance, material.
2. n.          (physics) The basic structural component of the universe. Matter usually has mass and volume.
3. n.          (physics) Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles. (Non-antimatter matter).
4. n.          A kind of substance.
vegetable matter
of		©
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion.
2. prep.          (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off".
3. prep.          (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.).
4. prep.          From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.).
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage.
fact		©
1. n. (archaic) Action; the realm of action.
2. n. (legal, obsolete except in set phrases) A wrongful or criminal deed.
He had become an accessory after the fact.
3. n. (obsolete) A feat or meritorious deed.
4. n. An honest observation.

Example Sentences

As a matter of fact, I don't.  As a matter of fact, you can smother me with attention.  No, as a matter of fact, I didn't, nor would I suspect any judge who hasn't been disbarred yet.

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