Webster's English Dictionary

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matter

1. mat.ter \'mat-*r\ n [ME matere, fr. OF, fr. L materia matter, physical 
   substance, fr. (Xmater 1a: a subject under consideration  1b: a subject of 
   disagreement or litigation  pl  1c: the events or circumstances of a 
   particular situation  1d: the elements that constitute material for 
   treatment in thought, discour se, or writing 1e: an element of a field of 
   knowledge, inquiry, or specialization {~)Rs of faith} 1f: something to be 
   proved in law  obs  1g: sensible or serious material as distinguished from 
   nonsense or drollery  obs  1h1: REASON, CAUSE  1h2: a source esp. of 
   feeling or emotion  1i: a condition affecting a person or thing usu. 
   unfavorably {what's the  ~} 2a: the substance of which a physical object is 
   composed  2b: a substance that constitutes the observable universe and 
   together with  energy forms the basis of objective phenomena 2c: a material 
   substance of a particular kind or for a particular purpose  2d1: material 
   (as feces or urine) discharged from the living body  2d2: material 
   discharged by suppuration : PUS  3a: the indeterminate subject of reality; 
   esp : the element in the  universe that undergoes formation and alteration 
   3b: the formless substratum of all things which exists only potentially and 
    upon which form acts to produce realities 4: a more or less definite 
   amount or quantity {a ~ of 10 years}  5a: something written or printed  
   5b1: set type  5b2: text material esp. as distinguished from illustrations  
   6: MAIL  Christian Science  7: the illusion that the objects perceived by 
   the physical senses have the  reality of substance
2. matter vi 1: to be of importance : SIGNIFY  2: to form or discharge pus 
   : SUPPURATE {~ing wound)>