matter of course, a

a matter of course

An action or result that is expected or logical. Handshakes are usually a matter of course after an initial meeting between two people. Dessert is a matter of course around here—it's really what this place is known for. My grandfather was an old-fashioned kind of guy, so it was a matter of course that he would hold the door open for a lady and allow her to go through first.

See also: course, matter, of

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

matter of course, a

Something that is expected, as in It was a matter of course that police officers received special training. It is also put as as a matter of course, meaning "as part of a standard procedure," as in The employer checked John's references as a matter of course. First recorded only in 1809, this idiom uses course in the sense of "the natural or logical order of events."

See also: matter, of

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.