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meat and potatoes - 5 dictionary results
meat and potatoes
–noun Informal.
| the essential or basic part: Community service is the meat and potatoes of this program. |
Origin:
‡ 1950–55
‡ 1950–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
meat-and-po⋅ta⋅toes
[meet-n-puh-tey-tohz, -tuhz] 
–adjective Informal.
| fundamental; down-to-earth; basic: What are the meat-and-potatoes issues of the election? |
Also, meat-and-po⋅ta⋅to.
Origin:
1945–50
1945–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
| meat and potatoes
pl.n. Informal (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The fundamental parts or part; the basis. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
| meat and potatoes | |
noun | |
| the fundamental part; "successful negotiation is the meat and potatoes of arbitration" |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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meat and potatoes
The fundamental part or parts of something, as in This paragraph is the meat and potatoes of the contract. This metaphoric term transfers what some regard as basic fare to the basics of an issue. [Mid-1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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