nub

/nʌb/ (bre, ipa) · /nʌb/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnəb/ (ame, mw)

nub — noun

1. the single most important part of something complicated like an argument, proble

1.名詞C1
釋義

the single most important part of something complicated like an argument, problem, or story — the bit that, if you understood nothing else, you would still have grasped what really matters.

例句

The nub of Shirin's complaint was that nobody had asked her opinion before the policy changed.

the nub of + possessive + noun (problem/complaint)

Let me cut to the nub of the matter: we cannot afford to hire three new engineers this year.

fixed phrase: 'the nub of the matter'

同義詞
  • crux

    very close synonym; slightly more formal and more common in writing

  • essence

    broader — the true nature of something, not necessarily a 'main point'

  • gist

    the general meaning you take away, less precise than 'nub'

  • heart

    as in 'the heart of the matter' — interchangeable in many sentences

文法句型

the nub of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Almost always used with the definite article ('the nub') and followed by 'of'. Subject is typically a complaint, problem, argument, matter, issue, or question — not a concrete object. Often paired with verbs like 'get to', 'cut to', 'reach', or 'come to'.

常見錯誤

❌A nub of his speech was poverty.
✅The nub of his speech was poverty.
💡this sense takes 'the', not 'a'.
❌The nub of the table is broken.
✅The corner of the table is broken.
💡'nub' in this sense is for abstract ideas, not physical objects.

2. a short rounded bump on a surface, or a small leftover piece of something such a

2.名詞C1
釋義

a short rounded bump on a surface, or a small leftover piece of something such as a pencil, candle, or stub of food.

例句

Imani pressed a small nub on the side of the remote, and the television finally switched on.

concrete object: a small raised bump on a device

Only a worn-down nub of chalk was left in the tray after Mira's long lesson.

'a nub of' + uncountable noun (a small leftover piece)

同義詞
  • stub

    near-synonym for the leftover-piece meaning (a pencil stub, candle stub)

  • knob

    more often a rounded handle or fitting; less often a leftover piece

  • lump

    any small mass; less specific than 'nub'

  • bump

    a raised area, often larger and on a flat surface like skin or a road

文法句型

a nub of + uncountable noun

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a physical object you can see or touch, while sense 1 is abstract. Often appears as 'a nub of X' where X is something used up or worn down (chalk, pencil, candle, bread).

常見錯誤

❌There was a nub on the road after the accident.
✅There was a bump on the road after the accident.
💡'nub' is usually quite small (something you hold or press), not a road feature.
❌He ate a nub of soup.
✅He ate a spoonful of soup.
💡'nub' implies a solid, rounded piece; not liquids.