essence

Everyday

1. The most important part or real nature of a thing, which makes it what it is. tree →
2. A strong, concentrated liquid made from a plant, used to flavour food, such as vanilla essence. tree →

In the lessons

in lessons, the essence of a tale is its main message, and in cooking an essence gives a strong flavour

Examples

• The essence of the story is that kindness wins. tree →
• Add a few drops of vanilla essence to the cake. tree →
• Tell me the essence of the plot in one sentence. tree →

Note

nothing for maths

In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah it means the inner being of God or of a letter or soul, the real nature behind the outer form.

Interpretation. Tradition reads the letters as the essences of creation, so that by them God formed the world and every soul.

Examples

• Magnificence, which emanate from its own proper essence. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• On another, it refers to something less tangible, approaching the kind of phantom essence implied by the English term ‘soul’. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) tree →
• He bound the essences of the twenty-two letters on his tongue, and God disclosed to him the secrets of them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →

Note

nothing for maths