"substances" in the noun sense
1. substance
the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists
"DNA is the substance of our genes"
2. kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"the gist of the prosecutor's argument"
"the heart and soul of the Republican Party"
"the nub of the story"
3. meaning, substance
the idea that is intended
"What is the meaning of this proverb?"
4. substance
material of a particular kind or constitution
"the immune response recognizes invading substances"
5. means, substance
considerable capital (wealth or income
"he is a man of means"
6. message, content, subject matter, substance
what a communication that is about something is about
7. consistency, consistence, substance, body
the property of holding together and retaining its shape
"wool has more body than rayon"
"when the dough has enough consistency it is ready to bake"
8. substance
a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties
"shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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