fact

fact [ fækt ] noun ***

1. ) count a piece of true information:

They have simply attempted to state the facts.

fact about: Here children can discover basic scientific facts about the world.

fact of: He wrote an article explaining the main facts of the case.

hard/plain facts (=ones that people may find unpleasant): We want the hard facts about what the project is going to cost.

a ) uncount things that are true or that really happened, rather than things that are imaginary or not true:

The story is based on historical fact.

Margaret does not yet seem to have learned the difference between fact and fiction.

2. ) the fact used for talking about a situation that is real or true, especially when you want to emphasize this:

It's obvious you're angry, so why deny the fact?

fact that: He has never hidden the fact that he's gay.

after the fact

after something has happened, when it is impossible to change:

On some vital decisions, senators were informed only after the fact.

the fact (of the matter) is

used for emphasizing what you think is the true situation or the most important point:

The fact is, he lost because he didn't try very hard.

a fact of life

something that you may not like but have to accept because it is always there or always true:

The need to ration healthcare resources is a fact of life.

We must face the facts of life: in a recession, jobs are always being lost.

the fact remains that

used for emphasizing that something is still true despite what people have said or done:

Everyone talks about sexual equality, but the fact remains that women are paid less than men.

the fact that

used after expressions such as due to or in view of when you are giving some extra information:

The increase in the rate of divorce may be partly due to the fact that people live longer.

Some topics were not discussed in view of the fact that there were children present.

I don't like early mornings anyway, apart from the fact that I hardly slept last night.

facts and figures

pieces of information about something, rather than opinions or ideas

the facts of life

the facts about sex and how babies are made

the facts speak for themselves

used for saying that the facts of a particular situation provide all the necessary, true information about it:

We do not have to defend our record: the facts speak for themselves.

get your facts straight/right

to have the correct information about something, especially before criticizing someone or arguing with them:

Before you start blaming us, you should get your facts straight.

in (actual) fact

1. ) used for saying what is really true, when this is surprising or different from what people think:

Managers worry about employees leaving for other companies, but in fact they are more likely to stay.

He was paid money for a job that did not in fact exist.

In actual fact, she was quite right.

2. ) used when you are adding something to what you have just said, especially something surprising:

I haven't seen him for years. In fact, I can't even remember what he looks like.

She's a friend of mine, a very close friend in fact.

is that a fact? SPOKEN

used for answering someone when they have told you something that you consider surprising or unlikely to happen

it is a fact that

used for emphasizing a statement:

It is an undeniable fact that most people break the speed limit.

know for a fact (that)

used for emphasizing that you are sure something is true:

I know for a fact that he was lying.

that's a fact

used for emphasizing that you know something is true or agree that it is true:

We're all getting too old for this and that's a fact.

=> FACE 2 3A, MATTER1