[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/matter/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [M](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/m/) / matter # matter noun (matter, matters); verb (matter, matters, mattered, mattering) «matter» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition and Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. Matter is what everything is made of; all things that take up space and have mass are matter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#m1) 2. A matter is a subject or problem to deal with: a serious matter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#m2) 3. To matter is to be important: your feelings matter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#m3) 4. «What's the matter?» asks what is wrong. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#m4) ### In the lessons In maths problems it is a word of the story or of the explanation only; «the order does not matter» means it is adding or multiplying (you can swap the numbers). In science matter comes in solids, liquids and gases. In everyday life: «It doesn't matter» (it is not important), «no matter what», «as a matter of fact». ### Examples - It does not matter which order you add. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x1) - No matter how you count, there are 12. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x2) - What is the matter with the sum? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x3) - What's the matter? You look sad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x4) - Everything around us is made of matter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x5) - Solids, liquids and gases are states of matter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x6) - It doesn't matter if you lose, just have fun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x7) - Every vote matters. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x8) - As a matter of fact, I've already finished. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x9) - “O Peter, you know it matters.” [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/#x10) ### Note Science sense is uncountable (matter); the «subject» sense is countable (matters). Regular verb: mattered. «No matter» = whatever, however. Maths: no clue about the quantities. In explanations «the order does not matter» means it is adding or multiplying, not subtracting or dividing. ## In Jewish tradition In the Torah "matter" often means a thing, an issue, or a legal case, and also "word" in some places. Hard cases were brought to Moses, and small ones were judged by others. **Interpretation.** The rabbis took this to show that Israel needed a system of judges at different levels. Moses took the hard cases to God. ### Examples - And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. (Torah GEN.24.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x1) - And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. (Torah EXO.18.26, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x2) - Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not; for I will not justify the wicked. (Torah EXO.23.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x3) - Were thy harlotries a small matter, (Prophets EZK.16.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x4) - Here is the end of the matter. (Writings DAN.7.28, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x5) - And David said unto him: 'How went the matter? (Prophets 2SA.1.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/#x6) ### Note Science sense is uncountable (matter); the «subject» sense is countable (matters). Regular verb: mattered. «No matter» = whatever, however. Maths: no clue about the quantities. In explanations «the order does not matter» means it is adding or multiplying, not subtracting or dividing. ## Early Modern English ### Meaning An affair or subject of concern, or a thing being discussed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/matter/#m1) ### Then and now Today "matter" usually means a problem or substance, as in "there's something the matter". In the first sentence it means an affair or business, which is an old sense. ### Examples - And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. (Torah GEN.24.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/matter/#x1) - There's nothing the matter with me. (Andersen's Fairy Tales) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/matter/#x2) - A cipher for the matter: twenty-two (numbers) \[objects\] in one body. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/matter/#x3) ### Note Today: affair, thing; subject. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «matter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/matter/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«matter» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/matter.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «matter» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/matter/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«matter» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/matter.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «matter» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/emode/M/matter/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«matter» in the Early Modern English dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/emode/w/matter.html) on Mova free.