of import
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Significant, valuable, or having great consequence: Describes something that matters greatly, carries weight, or is of considerable significance.
Usage
- The adjective "of import" is formal and somewhat literary. It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "be") to emphasize the high significance or value of the subject.
- It is synonymous with "important" but is less common in everyday modern English.
Examples
- Attributive use (before a noun):
- The committee discussed matters of import for the future of the company.
- He made a decision of import that affected the entire community.
- Predicative use (after a linking verb):
- This historical document is truly of import.
- The scientist's discovery was of great import to the field.
Advanced Usage
- "of great import": A common intensifying phrase meaning "very important."
- The treaty was of great import to diplomatic relations.
- "of little/no import": A phrase meaning "of little or no importance."
- The minor grammatical error was of little import to the overall message.
Variants and Related Words
- Importance (n): The state or fact of being significant.
- The importance of this event cannot be overstated.
- Import (n): As a noun, "import" can mean significance or meaning, in addition to its common meaning related to bringing goods into a country.
- She understood the full import of his words.
Synonyms
- Important: Of great significance or value.
- Significant: Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention.
- Consequential: Important; significant.
- Momentous: Of great importance or significance, especially in its bearing on the future.
Antonyms
- Unimportant: Lacking in importance or significance.
- Trivial: Of little value or importance.
- Insignificant: Too small or unimportant to be worth consideration.
Notes
- The phrase "of import" functions as a compound adjective. Its core meaning is identical to the adjective "important," but its usage conveys a more formal or weighty tone. It is often found in written, academic, or historical contexts.
Adjective
- of great significance or value
- important people
- the important questions of the day