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Worth vs Matter - What's the difference?

worth | matter |

As nouns the difference between worth and matter

is that worth is (countable) value while matter is .

As a preposition worth

is having a value of; proper to be exchanged for.

As a verb worth

is (obsolete|except in set phrases) to be, become, betide.

worth

English

Etymology 1

From worth or wurth, from (etyl) .

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • Having a value of; proper to be exchanged for.
    • My house now is worth double what I paid for it.
    Cleanliness is the virtue most worth having but one.
  • Deserving of.
    • I think you’ll find my proposal worth your attention.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 9 , author=Jonathan Wilson , title=Europa League: Radamel Falcao's Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Two years after their first European trophy, Atlético were well worth their second.}}
  • (obsolete, except in Scots) Valuable, worth while.
  • Making a fair equivalent of, repaying or compensating.
    • This job is hardly worth the effort.
    Usage notes
    The modern adjectival senses of worth'' compare two noun phrases, prompting some sources to classify the word as a preposition. Most, however, list it an adjective, some with notes like "governing a noun with prepositional force." says, "the adjective ''worth requires what is most easily described as an object." Joan Maling (1983) shows that worth is best analysed as a preposition rather than an adjective. CGEL (2002) analyzes it as an adjective.
    Derived terms
    * for what it's worth/FWIW * more trouble than it's worth * not worth a dime * worth a try * worth every penny * worthful * worth it * worth its weight in gold * worthless * worth one's salt * worth one's while * worth the risk * worthwhile * worthy

    Noun

  • (countable) Value.
    • I’ll have a dollar's worth of candy, please.
    They have proven their worths''' as individual fighting men and their '''worth as a unit.
  • (uncountable) Merit, excellence.
    • Our new director is a man whose worth is well acknowledged.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=September 7 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Moldova 0-5 England , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Manchester United's Tom Cleverley impressed on his first competitive start and Lampard demonstrated his continued worth at international level in a performance that was little more than a stroll once England swiftly exerted their obvious authority.}}
    Derived terms
    * all one's life's worth * a dime's worth * comparable worth * disworth * jobsworth * money's worth * net worth * pennyworth * self-worth * tuppence worth/tuppenceworth * two pennies' worth * worthen

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (Norwegian verta, Swedish varda), Latin vertere.

    Verb

  • (obsolete, except in set phrases) To be, become, betide.
  • * 1843 , , book 2, ch. 3, "Lndlord Edmund"
    • For, adds our erudite Friend, the Saxon weorthan'' equivalent to the German ''werden'', means to grow, to become; traces of which old vocable are still found in the North-country dialects, as, ‘What is word of him?’ meaning ‘What is become of him?’ and the like. Nay we in modern English still say, ‘Woe worth the hour.’ ''[i.e. Woe befall the hour]
  • * 14th century , Pearl poet, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • Corsed worth cowarddyse and couetyse boþe! [i.e. Cursed be cowardice and covetousness both]
    Woe worth the man that crosses me.
    Derived terms
    * outworth

    References

    * * * * Joan Maling (1983), Transitive Adjectives: A Case of Categorial Reanalysis, in F. Henry and B. Richards (eds.), Linguistic Categories: Auxiliaries and Related Puzzles , vol.1, pp. 253-289.

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * * ----

    matter

    English

    (wikipedia matter)

    Noun

  • Substance, material.
  • # (physics) The basic structural component of the universe. Matter usually has mass and volume.
  • # (physics) Matter made up of normal particles, not antiparticles. (Non-antimatter matter).
  • # A kind of substance.
  • # Written material (especially in books or magazines).
  • # (philosophy) Aristotelian: undeveloped potentiality subject to change and development; formlessness. Matter receives form, and becomes substance.
  • A condition, subject or affair, especially one of concern.
  • * (Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
    • if the matter should be tried by duel
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • Son of God, Saviour of men! Thy name / Shall be the copious matter of my song.
  • * Bible, (w) xviii. 22
    • Every great matter' they shall bring unto thee, but every small ' matter they shall judge.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;
  • * 12 July 2012 , Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift
    • The matter of whether the world needs a fourth Ice Age movie pales beside the question of why there were three before it, but Continental Drift feels less like an extension of a theatrical franchise than an episode of a middling TV cartoon, lolling around on territory that’s already been settled.
  • An approximate amount or extent.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • No small matter of British forces were commanded over sea the year before.
  • * (w, Roger L'Estrange) (1616-1704)
    • Away he goes,a matter of seven miles.
  • * (William Congreve) (1670-1729)
    • I have thoughts to tarry a small matter .
  • (obsolete) The essence; the pith; the embodiment.
  • * (Ben Jonson) (1572-1637)
    • He is the matter of virtue.
  • (obsolete) Inducing cause or reason, especially of anything disagreeable or distressing.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • And this is the matter why interpreters upon that passage in Hosea will not consent it to be a true story, that the prophet took a harlot to wife.
  • (obsolete) Pus.

    • Synonyms

    * material * stuff * substance

    Derived terms

    (Terms derived from the noun "matter") * a small matter - Somewhat, slightly * as a matter of fact - Actually * as a matter of law * back matter * baryonic matter * baryonic dark matter * degenerate matter * fecal matter * for that matter - In regards to * front matter * gray matter, grey matter * matterless * matter-of-fact * matter of record * mind over matter * mattery * no matter * organic matter * particulate matter * state of matter * strange matter * subject-matter * what's the matter * white matter

    Related terms

    * dark matter

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be important.
  • :The only thing that matters to Jim is being rich.
  • :Sorry for pouring ketchup on your clean white shirt! - Oh, don't worry, it does not matter .
  • *
  • *:As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish,I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=April 10, author=Alistair Magowan, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle , passage=Despite further attempts by Agbonlahor and Young, however, they could not find the goal to reward their endeavour.
    It mattered little as Newcastle's challenge faded and Villa began to dominate the game in midfield, and it was only Barton's continued sense of injustice that offered the visitors any spark in a tame contest.}}
  • (transitive, obsolete, outside, dialects) To care about, to mind; to find important.
  • *, Folio Society 1973, p.47:
  • *:Besides, if it had been out of doors I had not mattered it so much; but with my own servant, in my own house, under my own roof
  • To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate.
  • *Sir (Philip Sidney) (1554-1586)
  • *:Each slight sore mattereth .

    • Derived terms

    * it doesn't matter * no matter - In spite of

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----