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Glite Dictionary
of the essence

of the essence

22 5.3
Very important and needed right away
  • idiom
  • Formal
translation icon : esencial
  • We have a job to do, and time is of the essence.
  • time is of the essence

Oh, time is of the essence with it.

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Examples

  • So I do feel like time is of the essence and I wouldn't be surprised if the trust appeals do not go well.

  • I'm here on business, and time is of the essence.

    Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

  • Oh, time is of the essence with it.

    Peter McKinnon

  • This was not great, but time was of the essence and it would have to do.

  • Yeah, time is of the essence, here.

    Teenage Badass (2020)

  • So time is of the essence.

    Women Talking (2022)

  • We need to act today for our nation's children of tomorrow; time is of the essence.

    Academic text (1999)

  • But I agree, time is of the essence, and national leadership is needed.

    Blog text (16)

  • Time is of the essence when you're trying to figure out and disengage from narcissistic relationships.

    DoctorRamani

  • We have a job to do, and time is of the essence.

Synonyms

key
vsof the essence
∞ 2.0

Very important for something to work or succeed

means being the single most important or absolutely necessary thing
essential
vsof the essence
537 1.9

Needed for something to work or succeed

is about being of greatest importance in any case
crucial
vsof the essence
469 3.6

Very important for the success or result of something

is broader, meaning highest importance beyond just outcome
vital
vsof the essence
403 3.5

Necessary for life or for something to succeed

applies more generally to being of greatest importance
all-important
vsof the essence
24 4.0

Very necessary for a decision or success

means the same but is used as a fixed phrase
of import
vsof the essence
  • Archaic
2 5.9

Having a big effect or a lot of value for people

is stronger, meaning absolutely necessary rather than just significant

Antonyms

unimportant
54 1.9

Not worth attention or notice

unessential
1 5.0

Not needed for the main purpose

How Important

of the essence
  • Formal
22 5.3
critical
917 4.0
important
∞ 1.0
significant
∞ 2.5
minor
600 2.4

Surface Forms

of the essence positive

Morphology

of + the + essence

The phrase directly composes from 'essence' (the central or defining quality) with the relational preposition 'of the', so 'of the essence' literally means 'pertaining to what is essential' or 'crucially important'. This follows a standard compositional pattern found in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words (especially 'essence') should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Of the essence comes from older English where essence meant the core or 'heart' of something, the most important part. So saying something is of the essence makes you think it is the most important part and therefore 'absolutely necessary'.