Have you ever found yourself doing something, or expecting something to happen, without really thinking about it? It just… happens. That feeling, that expectation of the usual, the logical, the simply expected – that’s the heart of what we call ‘a matter of course.’
Think about it. When you meet someone for the first time, a handshake often follows, right? It’s not usually a grand, debated gesture. It’s just… what you do. Or perhaps you’re at a restaurant known for its incredible desserts. You wouldn’t even consider leaving without one; it’s practically built into the experience. These are instances where an action or an outcome is so ingrained, so predictable, that it feels like the natural order of things.
Looking at how dictionaries describe it, we see phrases like “used to say that something will or should happen because it is natural, usual, or logical.” It’s about something being so common or so sensible that it doesn't require a second thought or a special request. It’s the standard procedure, the expected follow-through.
For instance, imagine a workplace where new employees are always given a thorough orientation. That’s not a surprise; it’s a matter of course. Or consider a family tradition, like always gathering for a specific holiday meal. The anticipation and the act of coming together are, for that family, a matter of course.
This idiom, which has been around for a couple of centuries, uses ‘course’ in the sense of the natural flow or sequence of events. It’s about things unfolding as they logically should, without friction or fuss. It’s the opposite of something unexpected or out of the blue. It’s the comfortable predictability that often underpins our daily lives and interactions.
So, the next time you find yourself nodding along to something that seems perfectly obvious or routinely done, you’re likely witnessing or experiencing ‘a matter of course.’ It’s that quiet understanding that some things just are, and that’s perfectly okay.
