substances
substances — noun
- substancessingular
- substancesesplural
1. any physical matter — solid, liquid, or gas — that has its own chemical or physi
any physical matter — solid, liquid, or gas — that has its own chemical or physical qualities, such as colour, density, or melting point.
The lab technician identified a sticky yellow substance on the floor of the storage room.
countable: a sticky yellow substance
Many cleaning products contain harsh chemical substances that can irritate your skin.
plural with adjective: harsh chemical substances
Ice is simply water in a solid form, not a different substance altogether.
The chemist warned that the unknown white substance could be poisonous if inhaled.
文法句型
adjective + substance
substance + of + noun
用法筆記
Often modified by an adjective that names the type of matter (e.g. 'chemical substance', 'radioactive substance', 'organic substance'). Can be countable ('a oily substance') or uncountable ('substance abuse').
常見錯誤
2. an illegal drug, especially one that people take for pleasure and that is harmfu
an illegal drug, especially one that people take for pleasure and that is harmful to their health.
Police arrested three people for selling controlled substances outside the nightclub.
collocation: controlled substances
The school hired a counsellor to talk to students about the dangers of substance abuse.
collocation: substance abuse
Nadia was caught with an illegal substance in her luggage at the airport.
Kwame's employer requires a random test for illegal substances every three months.
文法句型
possessive + substances
adjective + substances
用法筆記
Frequently appears in legal and public-health contexts. The phrase 'controlled substances' is the formal legal term for drugs regulated by law.
常見錯誤
3. the core meaning or most important ideas contained in a speech, piece of writing
the core meaning or most important ideas contained in a speech, piece of writing, or conversation.
The substance of the professor's lecture was that climate policy must change soon.
pattern: the substance of [someone]'s [communication]
The senator spoke for an hour, but her argument's substance fit on one page.
Eleni agreed with the substance of the report but asked for clearer examples.
The journalist's article looked impressive, but other media already reported the substance of the story.
文法句型
the substance of + noun
用法筆記
Uncountable. Never used with 'a' or in the plural when referring to meaning. Always 'the substance of + noun' or 'substance' alone. Distinguish from sense 1, where 'substance' is countable and refers to physical material.
常見錯誤
4. the quality of being based on facts, having real meaning or practical importance
the quality of being based on facts, having real meaning or practical importance, rather than being trivial or superficial.
The prosecutor argued that the witness's story lacked substance and should not be believed.
collocation: lack substance
The committee decided the complaint had no substance and dismissed it without a hearing.
collocation: have no substance
Nothing of real substance emerged from the three hours of negotiation.
Olivia thought the accusations had no substance and decided to ignore them.
- weight
suggests convincing power; 'an argument of weight'
- significance
more general; something that matters
- validity
focuses on being logically sound rather than important
- triviality
the quality of being unimportant or superficial
文法句型
of substance
give substance to
lack substance
用法筆記
Uncountable. Appears in fixed phrases like 'a matter of substance' (an important issue) or 'lack substance' (be weak or unconvincing). Common in legal, journalistic, and academic contexts. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is about the core of a message; sense 4 is about the weight or importance of an idea, claim, or issue.