of the essence

be of the essence

To be a key consideration, of great importance, or absolutely necessary. It goes without saying that discretion is of the essence in this situation. Has anyone called an ambulance? Time is of the essence with this man's injuries!
See also: essence, of

of the essence

Absolutely necessary; of great importance or key consideration. It goes without saying that discretion is of the essence in this situation. Has anyone called an ambulance? Time is of the essence with this man's injuries!
See also: essence, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

of the essence

Of the greatest importance, crucial, as in Time is of the essence. This idiom, which uses essence in the sense of "the most important element of something," was first recorded in 1873, although the phrase the essence of ... was already being used in the mid-1600s.
See also: essence, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

of the essence

FORMAL
If something is of the essence, it is absolutely necessary in order for a particular action to be successful. Time is of the essence. Speed was of the essence in a project of this type.
See also: essence, of
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

of the essence

critically important.
1990 Louis de Bernières The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts Gentlemen, we have before us an important mission for which speed and efficiency are of the essence, and where surprise is the key element.
See also: essence, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

of the ˈessence

absolutely necessary: Time is of the essence (= we must do things as quickly as possible).
See also: essence, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

of the essence

Of the greatest importance; crucial: Time is of the essence.
See also: essence, of
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • be of the essence
  • essence
  • time is of the essence
  • in essence
  • out of consideration for (someone or something)
  • be treading on eggshells
  • eggshell
  • have a loose tongue
  • out of consideration of (something)
  • on mature consideration
References in periodicals archive
In situations where a "time of the essence" provision was not part of the contract, those pursuing a second bite at the deal should consider adding one in round two.
Time is always of the essence for real estate contracts
Service of a notice making time of the essence - where time is not of the essence and the tenant is unable to take the step itself, the tenant's recourse is to serve notice upon the landlord.
If the clock is ticking, you must act fast; Property in-site commercial property
Even if it is not part of the essence, it is the very act of the essence, actus essentiae.
On whether Aquinas's ipsum esse is "platonism" (1)
In cases where courts find that time is not of the essence (no matter what may be written in the contract), time stipulations can still function as a warranty by the supplier, the effect of which is to allow for a claim for damages by the buyer (i.e.
Understanding Time is of the essence (as a clause in a contract)
Each side of the distinction would then have to be seen as a thing or an essence in itself and as having its own act of being, an act of the act of being and an act of the essence, an esse existientiae and as esse essentiae, as some late scholastics were arguing at the time of Suarez.
SUAREZ AND THE LATENT ESSENTIALISM OF HEIDEGGER'S FUNDAMENTAL ONTOLOGY(*)
But the Nederlanders had sent him a letter invoking "time of the essence," and cancelled the contract when he didn't show up for the closing.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
This Broadway dis-play is about specific performance - after time was not of the essence - and now there's a lis pendens hanging from the marquee.
Biltmore Theatre sale plot thickens
Like the perfume bottle of the Essences Insensees, the La Madeleine container can also be used as a classy interior accent.
New scents that evoke mayflowers and madeleines
And generalizing the theory to predicates would undermine the idea that conceptual analysis is a source of a priori knowledge of the essences of things.
Colin McGinn: Truth By Analysis: Games, Names, and Philosophy
Another traditional method is "dry solution," the transference of the essences on to a fatty substrate.
From the matorral to Grasse