[fact] n [L factum, fr. neut. of factus, pp. of facere] (15c) 1: a thing done: as a obs: feat b: crime "accessory after the ~" c archaic: action
2. archaic: performance, doing
3: the quality of being actual: actuality "a question of ~ hinges on evidence"
4. a: something that has actual existence "space exploration is now a ~" b: an actual occurrence "prove the ~ of damage"
5: a piece of information presented as having objective reality -- in fact : in truth