- meat and potatoes
- nounthe fundamental part-
successful negotiation is the meat and potatoes of arbitration
• Hypernyms: ↑basis, ↑base, ↑foundation, ↑fundament, ↑groundwork, ↑cornerstone* * *
\\"ˌ\ noun plural but singular or plural in constructionEtymology: from their traditional role as basic dietary items* * *
Informal.the essential or basic part: Community service is the meat and potatoes of this program.[‡ 1950-55]* * *
meat and potatoes (N Am sl)The basic or essential parts of anything• • •Main Entry: ↑meat* * *
the most important part of somethingThe meat and potatoes of any contract is money.
Thesaurus: important thing or detailsynonymMain entry: meat* * *
meat and potatoes,Informal. the principal part; foundation; basis: »Textbooks remain the meat and potatoes of publishing in Canada (Maclean's).
meat-and-po|ta|toes «MEET uhn puh TAY tohz», adjective.Informal. basic; fundamental: »One would like to urge [him] to leave the meat-and-potatoes repertory for which his style of playing is not best suited for more contemporary cuisine (New York Times).
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ordinary but fundamental things; basic ingredientsthe club's meat and potatoes remains blues performers
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noun [noncount]US informal : the most basic or important part of something : ↑meatBasic conservation is still the meat and potatoes of their environmental plan.
the meat and potatoes of the contract/argument
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the most basic and important aspects or parts of sth•
Issues like this are the newspaper's meat and potatoes.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.