English▸ noun a thing that is known or proved to be true:
he ignores some historical and economic facts
a body of fact.
▪ (facts) information used as evidence or as part of a report or news article:
even the most inventive journalism peters out without facts, and in this case there were no facts.
▪ mainly Law the truth about events as opposed to interpretation:
there was a question of fact as to whether they had received the letter.
– PHRASES
after the fact
after the committing of a crime:
before the committing of a crime:
precise details:
something that must be accepted as true and unchanging, even if it is unpleasant:
information about sexual functions and practices, especially as given to children.the fact of the matter
the truth.the fact that
used to refer to a particular situation under discussion:
used to emphasize the truth of an assertion, especially one contrary to what might be expected or what has been asserted:
after the fact
after the committing of a crime:
he was guilty of being an accessory after the fact.
▪ after an event has taken place:
before the fact he said he was informed about the ceremony only after the fact.
before the committing of a crime:
an accessory before the fact.
facts and figures precise details:
he presents the facts and figures of his case openly and honestly.
a fact of life something that must be accepted as true and unchanging, even if it is unpleasant:
baldness is a fact of life for a lot of men.
the facts of life information about sexual functions and practices, especially as given to children.the fact of the matter
the truth.the fact that
used to refer to a particular situation under discussion:
the real problem facing them is the fact that their funds are being cut.
in fact (also in point of fact) used to emphasize the truth of an assertion, especially one contrary to what might be expected or what has been asserted:
the brook trout is in fact a char.
– ORIGIN late 15th century : from Latin factum, neuter past participle of facere ‘do’. The original sense was ‘an act’, later ‘a crime’, surviving in the phrase before (or after) the fact. The earliest of the current senses (‘truth, reality’) dates from the late 16th century.