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Substance

//ˈsʌbstəns// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Physical matter; material. countable, uncountable

    "Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it."

  2. 2
    the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists wordnet
  3. 3
    Physical matter; material.; A form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties wordnet
  5. 5
    The essential part of anything; the most vital part. countable, uncountable

    "Heroic virtue did his actions guide, / And he the substance, not the appearance, chose."

Show 10 more definitions
  1. 6
    the property of holding together and retaining its shape wordnet
  2. 7
    Substantiality; solidity; firmness. countable, uncountable

    "Some textile fabrics have little substance."

  3. 8
    the idea that is intended wordnet
  4. 9
    Material possessions; estate; property; resources. countable, uncountable

    "a man of substance"

  5. 10
    the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience wordnet
  6. 11
    Drugs (illegal narcotics) countable, uncountable

    "substance abuse"

  7. 12
    content communicating a message; what something is about wordnet
  8. 13
    Ousia, essence; underlying reality or hypostasis in the philosophical sense. countable, uncountable
  9. 14
    considerable capital (wealth or income) wordnet
  10. 15
    material of a particular kind or constitution wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To give substance to; to make real or substantial. rare, transitive

    "If life were nothing but what gets phrased and substanced, the world might as well be rolled up and laid away again in darkness."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + stō (“stand”). Displaced native Old English andweorc.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + stō (“stand”). Displaced native Old English andweorc.

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