fact of life
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fact of life
Something unpleasant that must be accepted because it cannot be changed. Gloomy, rainy days are just a fact of life for the British. Death is a fact of life.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
facts of life
Knowledge of sexual reproduction, as in Some people feel that the facts of life should not be taught in school. [Late 1800s] Also see birds and the bees.
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.
a fact of life
COMMON If you say that something is a fact of life, you mean that it is something that often happens and cannot be avoided, even if it is unpleasant. It is a fact of life that parents want their children to marry and have their own children. Falling prices have been a fact of life in the housing market.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
a fact of life
something that must be accepted and cannot be changed, however unpalatable.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
a ˌfact of ˈlife
something difficult or unpleasant that cannot be changed and has to be accepted or dealt with: Taxes are a fact of life. You just have to pay them. ♢ It is a fact of life that some people are born more intelligent than others.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
facts of life
1. n. an explanation of human reproduction, especially as presented to a child. No one ever explained the facts of life to me. I read books about it.
2. n. the truth about life’s difficulties. You had better face up to the facts of life and get a job.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.