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fact

n. · interj.
US //ˈfækt// UK //fˈækt// fact
  1. 1 a true thing (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    something that is known to be true or has actually happened.

    a thing that is known or proved to be true; an objective reality as opposed to an opinion or falsehood.

    Example

    It is a well-known fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

    Example

    The journalist spent months verifying every fact in the report to ensure the publication could withstand any legal challenges regarding its accuracy.
    Pitfall
    In the fact, the movie was quite long.
    In fact, the movie was quite long.

    The phrase 'in fact' is a fixed expression and does not take an article.

  2. 2 details or data (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    information about a situation or a specific subject.

    information about a particular subject, especially regarding actual conditions, circumstances, or data points.

    Example

    The brochure is full of interesting facts about the city's history.

    Example

    Before making a final decision on the merger, the board requested a comprehensive summary of the facts regarding the company's current debt.
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  1. 3 legal deed (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    a specific act or event, often used when talking about a crime.

    an action or deed, specifically a wrongful or criminal act; often used in the phrase 'accessory after the fact'.

    Example

    He was charged with being an accessory after the fact.

    Example

    The prosecution struggled to establish the facts of the case, as the primary witness provided conflicting accounts of the evening's events.
  2. 4 emphasizing truth (interj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Slang

    you say this to show that what you are about to say is definitely true.

    used as a sentence-initial or standalone marker to assert the truth or reliability of the following statement.

    Example

    Fact: that was the best pizza I have ever eaten.

    Example

    Fact: if we don't leave right now, we are going to miss the opening act of the concert.

    Usage

    Often used as a one-word sentence followed by a colon or a pause for dramatic emphasis.
Origin

From Old French fact, from Latin factum (“an act, deed, feat, etc.”); also Medieval Latin for “state, condition, circumstance”; neuter of factus (“done or made”), perfect passive participle of faciō (“do, make”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, place, set”). Old/Middle French later evolved it into faict and fait. Doublet of feat.

Word family
Idioms5 entries

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