substance: [13] Latin substantia denoted the ‘essence’ of something. Derived from the present participle of substāre ‘be present’, a compound verb formed from the prefix sub- ‘under’ and stāre ‘stand’ (a relative of English stand), it was virtually a loan-translation of Greek hupóstasis ‘substance, existence, essence’, which likewise was formed from elements meaning literally ‘under’ and ‘stand’. The word’s ultimate etymological meaning is thus ‘that which underlies or is the essence of something’. => stand, station, statue
substance (n.)
c. 1300, "essential nature, real or essential part," from Old French sustance, substance "goods, possessions; nature, composition" (12c.), from Latin substantia "being, essence, material," from substans, present participle of substare "stand firm, stand or be under, be present," from sub "up to, under" (see sub-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Latin substantia translates Greek ousia "that which is one's own, one's substance or property; the being, essence, or nature of anything." Meaning "any kind of corporeal matter" is first attested mid-14c. Sense of "the matter of a study, discourse, etc." first recorded late 14c.
雙語例句
1. This substance has now been cloned by molecular biologists.
該物質現在已被分子生物學家克隆。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Syria will attend only if the negotiations deal with issues of substance.
只有在談判涉及重大問題時敘利亞才會參加。
來自柯林斯例句
3. There is no substance in any of these allegations.
這些指控都毫無根據。
來自柯林斯例句
4. It's questionable whether anything of substance has been achieved.
是否已經取得了任何實質性進展還是個問題。
來自柯林斯例句
5. A pH test measures the acidity or alkalinity of a substance.