01 n. The constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the nominal essence.
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1.
The constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the nominal essence.
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2.
The constituent quality or qualities which belong to any object, or class of objects, or on which they depend for being what they are (distinguished as real essence); the real being, divested of all logical accidents; that quality which constitutes or marks the true nature of anything; distinctive character; hence, virtue or quality of a thing, separated from its grosser parts.“The laws are at present, both in form and essence, the greatest curse that society labors under.” — Landor.“Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence of this virtue [charity].” — Addison.“The essence of Addison's humor is irony.” — Courthope.
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3.
Constituent substance.“And uncompounded is their essence pure.” — Milton.
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4.
A being; esp., a purely spiritual being.“As far as gods and heavenly essences Can perish.” — Milton.“He had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences, until . . . he had and ideal world of his own around him.” — W. Irving.
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5.
The predominant qualities or virtues of a plant or drug, extracted and refined from grosser matter; or, more strictly, the solution in spirits of wine of a volatile or essential oil; as, the essence of mint, and the like.“The . . . word essence . . . scarcely underwent a more complete transformation when from being the abstract of the verb “to be,” it came to denote something sufficiently concrete to be inclosed in a glass bottle.” — J. S. Mill.
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6.
Perfume; odor; scent; or the volatile matter constituting perfume.“Nor let the essences exhale.” — Pope.