matter of principle
collocation in Englishmeaningsofmatterandprinciple
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withprinciple.
matter
noun
uk/ˈmæt.ər/us/ˈmæt̬.ɚ/
a situation or subject that is being dealt with ...
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principle
noun
uk/ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/us/ˈprɪn.sə.pəl/
a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens ...
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(Definition ofmatterandprinciplefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofmatter of principle
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Naturally the fight was not just over amatterofprinciple, but also one of professional jealousy.
From theCambridge English Corpus
As amatterofprinciple, it was the spouses who were supposed to bring forward the witnesses to their nuptials.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Talent-based taxes/subsidies have generally been dismissed as amatterofprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
But as amatterofprinciple, these songs were placed in contexts where singing rather than speaking could plausibly be expected of operatic characters.
From theCambridge English Corpus
He did not as amatterofprinciplemove round from one hotel to another, but demonstrated a cosmopolitan mode of dwelling.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I parted from him amicably, on amatterofprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In both cases, the explanation becomes more and more improbable as amatterofprincipleand the loss of probability outweighs the increase in likelihood.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Yet it would be mistaken to believe that deeper psychological layers are, as amatterofprinciple, inaccessible to experimental psychology.
From theCambridge English Corpus
A characteristic is morally irrelevant as amatterofprincipleand remains so irrespective of context.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Various ulama opposed the bequest as amatterofprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Anyone can ask for an audience, as amatterofprinciple, so that access is certainly more generalised and less arbitrary.
From theCambridge English Corpus
As amatterofprinciple, static scheduling techniques cannot reflect changing workload characteristics of machines which run several independent processes.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Registration reform did not involve amatterofprincipleand was relatively uncontroversial.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The judge's decision cannot, as amatterofprinciple, be the only one justified by the law, which is indeterminate.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In early modern times the transition from the preservation to the enlargement of knowledge could as amatterofprinciplebe perceived only as a continual process.
From theCambridge English Corpus
She expressed scathing criticism of those who assume, as amatterofprinciple, that communal land rights are a social good and a universal demand of indigenous peoples.
From theCambridge English Corpus
As amatterofprinciple, at least, this addressed oral language.
From theCambridge English Corpus
As amatterofprinciple, environmental policy in developing countries should not, in our view, be assumed to be optimal when in fact it is not.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The latter is unacceptable where the former is not, but chiefly for political reasons, and not because historians object to cultural inscription as amatterofprinciple.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Is the inability to explain these data just a problem of the existing structural description models, or is it amatterofprinciplefor this model type?
From theCambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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