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meat

meat

17 5.5
The main part of an idea or talk that matters most
  • noun
  • /miːt/
  • Informal
: meollo
  • And now we get to the real meat of the story.
  • meat and potatoes

So let's get into the meat of today's subject.

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Examples

  • So let's get into the meat of today's subject.

  • If I have delayed reaching the meat of this essay, I ask your pardon.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Now let's get into the actual meat of the piece.

  • This is the, the, the meat of the discussion.

  • Here we arrive at the meat of the proposed approach.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Personal convictions are good and positive because they provide "meat to the bones" of our fundamental truths.

    Academic text (2001)
  • We are still feeding our secondary students pablum when they ought to have graduated to meat and potatoes!

    Academic text (1991)
  • Now, before we get to the meat of this thing, er... do you at the present time have any knowledge of the whereabouts of a Mr. Jack Burton or his truck?

  • We use the meat of dairy cows only, which we age for an astonishing 152 days to relax the protein strands.

  • And now we get to the real meat of the story.

Synonyms

core
vsmeat
641 3.2

The most important central part of something

is the everyday label for the main essential element
heart
vsmeat
510 2.7

The central part of something, for example an idea or a place

is the broad name for the main or focal element
center
vsmeat
  • US
470 1.0

The most important part or person that gets most attention

is limited to the core element rather than an attention focus
essence
vsmeat
304 4.8

The central idea or most important part of something

names the main part rather than the abstract defining quality
substance
vsmeat
172 4.3

The main idea of something said or written

is the simpler name for that essential meaning
sum
vsmeat
151 5.3

The main point of an argument or story

is the broader term for the main central element
gist
vsmeat
42 4.6

The main point of what someone says or writes

applies more widely to main parts beyond written texts
28 3.4

The most important part that holds a group or thing together

describes the main part without strong emotional or personal tone
nitty-gritty
vsmeat
  • Informal
16 6.5

The most important specific details of a plan or problem

refers to the overall essential part beyond specific details
15 3.5

The most important part of something, often in a recipe or plan

means the whole central part rather than a single component
14 3.9

The most important part of a problem or discussion

is the general term for the main central element
kernel
vsmeat
13 5.4

Central part of an idea or argument

is broader and applies to main parts generally
marrow
vsmeat
  • Literature
6 7.7

The most important part of something

means the core idea without the living or bodily image
nub
vsmeat
6 6.7

The main point people argue about in a discussion

is the general word for the important central part
meat and potatoes
vsmeat
  • Informal
5 3.9

The most important part of something

is the general label for the central essential element
pith
vsmeat
3 7.7

The main part of an idea or argument

is a general term for the main central element

Idioms

To gain weight and become healthier after being thin or sick

1 9.9

To touch a man's penis to get sexual pleasure

1 9.9

Very angry and acting without thinking

to beat one's meat
  • Offensive
9.9

To touch his own penis to feel sexual pleasure

Keep the useful parts and ignore the rest

9.7

Something that looks good but has little real value

Compounds

49 2.0

Meat from animals like cows or sheep that is red before cooking

48 2.0

A dish made from ground meat mixed with other ingredients and baked in a loaf shape

18 1.5

Pale meat from the breast of birds like chicken or turkey

17 1.0

Uncooked meat that people eat

14 2.0

Meat from the legs and thighs of a bird that is darker and juicier than breast meat

11 1.1

A shop that sells meat such as beef and chicken

9 3.0

A process that kills animals and prepares their meat to sell in shops

9 2.7

A large heavy knife with a wide rectangular blade used to cut meat and bones

8 4.8

A strong pointed hook for hanging dead animals in a butcher shop

7 2.1

An animal that eats other animals for food

6 1.8

A kitchen machine that cuts meat into small pieces

6 2.7

A piece of meat taken from a certain part of an animal

6 1.0

A baked dish of cooked meat inside pastry, usually eaten hot

mystery meat
  • Informal
6 7.3

Food whose type or where it comes from you cannot tell, often served in cafeterias

6 1.7

Cold sliced cooked meat used in sandwiches or as a snack

5 3.9

The most important part of something

A device you put into meat to check its inside temperature while cooking

meat grinder
  • Literature
4 7.0

A situation that causes a lot of harm and suffering to people over time

3 2.9

A person or company that prepares and packs meat for shops

2 2.4

A person who slices and trims meat for sale in shops

2 1.3

A counter in a store where people sell meat like steak or chicken

Sliced cooked meat sold in a can or loaf and usually served cold

1 1.8

Meat kept in a sealed can to last a long time

1 1.5

Minced meat mixed with spices for making sausages or patties

meat puppet
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who follows orders from others without thinking

1 2.4

Meat cut into small pieces for slow cooking to make it tender

1 4.4

A shelf for holding meat for sale in a shop

meat cutter
  • Specialized
1 3.3

A machine or hand tool that slices meat into pieces

1 7.5

Parts from inside an animal that people eat, like liver or heart

side of meat
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A large half of an animal prepared and sold for eating

meat house
  • Archaic
1 6.2

A small farm building where people hang meat or fish to dry

An industry that processes and packs meat for shops

meat hooks
  • Slang
1 7.5

Large strong hands used for fighting or heavy work

1 1.8

Firm white flesh inside a coconut shell that people use in cooking and baking

1 4.1

Meat cut into thin strips and dried to keep it for a long time

1 1.9

Meat kept in a metal can to last a long time

A piece of meat with a lot of fat

1 3.2

A machine with a metal bowl and paddles that blends meat when making sausages

Buttons or links that hide their function so users must guess what they do

meat safe
  • Archaic
1 8.3

A cupboard with wire sides that stores meat and keeps flies away

A rich, filling pasta sauce made with a lot of meat, tomatoes and herbs

meat crayon
  • Slang
9.9

A sausage or sandwich made from processed meat and called jokingly

meat diaper
  • Slang
9.9

A pad under raw meat that soaks up liquid

7.4

A place where employers quickly judge job seekers like products

How Central

crux
34 7.5
heart
510 2.7
meat
  • Informal
17 5.5
key point
47 3.1
point
∞ 1.0
aspect
861 3.4
detail
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

meat singular
meats plural

Etymology

Meat is used for the main or essential part of something because people saw meat as the most filling part of a meal, so the 'meat' of an idea or argument is its most important part.