| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | theme |
| Synonyms: | basic idea, basis, center, core, cornerstone, criterion, crux, essence, gist, heart, idea, kernel, keystone, linchpin, mainspring, marrow, measure, motive, nub, pith, principle, root, source, spring, standard, substance |
| Main Entry: | basis |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | foundation for belief, action |
| Synonyms: | antecedent, assumption, authority, axiom, backbone, background, backing, base, bedrock, cause, center, chief ingredient, core, crux, data, dictum, essence, essential, evidence, explanation, footing, fundamental, hard fact, heart, infrastructure, justification, keynote, keystone, law, nexus, nucleus, postulate, premise, presumption, presupposition, principal element, principle, proof, reason, root, rudiment, sanction, security, source, substratum, support, theorem, theory, underpinning, warrant |
| Main Entry: | centerpiece |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | highlight |
| Synonyms: | best part, center of attention, climax, focal point, heart, high point, high spot, hub, keynote, main event, main feature, nucleus |
| Main Entry: | gist |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | meaning, essence |
| Synonyms: | basis, bearing, bottom line, burden, core, drift, force, heart, idea, import, kernel, keynote, marrow, matter, meat*, name of the game, nature of the beast, nitty gritty, nuts and bolts, pith, point, punch line, quintessence, score, sense, short, significance, soul, spirit, stuff*, subject, substance, summary, tenor, theme, thrust, topic, upshot |
| Main Entry: | kernel |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | seed, essence |
| Synonyms: | atom, bit, center, core, crux, fruit, germ, gist, grain, heart, hub, keynote, marrow, matter, meat, morsel, nub, nubbin, nut, part, piece, pith, root, substance, upshot |
| Notes: | a kernel is the inner and usually edible part of a seed or grain, while a colonel is a commissioned military rank |
| Main Entry: | rule |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | standard, principle of behavior |
| Synonyms: | aphorism, apothegm, assize, axiom, basis, brocard, canon, chapter and verse, command, commandment, criterion, decorum, decree, decretion, dictum, direction, edict, etiquette, formula, fundamental, gnome, guide, guideline, keynote, keystone, law, maxim, model, moral, no-no's, order, ordinance, precedent, precept, prescription, propriety, regimen, regulation, ruling, statute, tenet, test, the book, the numbers, truism |
| Main Entry: | speech |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | formal talk to audience |
| Synonyms: | address, allocution, appeal, bombast, chalk talk, commentary, debate, declamation, diatribe, discourse, disquisition, dissertation, eulogy, exhortation, harangue, homily, invocation, keynote, lecture, opus, oration, oratory, panegyric, paper, parlance, parley, pep talk, pitch, prelection, recitation, rhetoric, salutation, sermon, spiel*, stump, tirade, valedictory |
| Antonyms: | listening |
| Main Entry: | theme |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | idea, subject matter |
| Synonyms: | affair, argument, burden, business, case, head, keynote, leitmotif, line, matter, matter in hand, motif, motive, point, point at issue, problem, proposition, question, stuff, subject, text, thesis, thought, topic |
| Main Entry: | keynote address |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | main speech of event |
| Synonyms: | keynote, keynote speech |