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HUBLOT Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
A matter of
http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/matter
a matter of
used to refer to a small amount
? It cooks in a matter of (a few) minutes. [=it cooks in just a few minutes]
? They quarreled over a matter of a mere couple of dollars.
? The crisis was resolved in a matter of a few hours.
? The ball was foul by a matter of inches.
"A matter of" means "a few," doesn't it? What do "a matter of a mere couple of" and "a matter of a few" mean?
a matter of
used to refer to a small amount
? It cooks in a matter of (a few) minutes. [=it cooks in just a few minutes]
? They quarreled over a matter of a mere couple of dollars.
? The crisis was resolved in a matter of a few hours.
? The ball was foul by a matter of inches.
"A matter of" means "a few," doesn't it? What do "a matter of a mere couple of" and "a matter of a few" mean?
Top answer
It's a set phrase – meaning 'no more/longer than' – used to emphasise shortness of time, distance or length etc. You'll have observed that you can omit the phrase from all your examples without altering their meaning. Rover
- It's a set phrase – meaning 'no more/longer than' – used to emphasise shortness of time, distance or length etc.
- You'll have observed that you can omit the phrase from all your examples without altering their meaning.
- Rover
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2 Answers
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It's a set phrase – meaning 'no more/longer than' – used to emphasise shortness of time, distance or length etc.
You'll have observed that you can omit the phrase from all your examples without altering their meaning.
Rover
You'll have observed that you can omit the phrase from all your examples without altering their meaning.
Rover
00
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