essential
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++es·sen·tial1 /ɪˈsenʃəl/ ●●● S3 W2 adjective 1 IMPORTANTextremely important and necessary 极其重要的；必不可少的essential for/to A good diet is essential for everyone. 良好的饮食对于每个人都极为重要。it is essential (that) It is essential that our pilots be given the best possible training. 我们的飞行员要受到最好的培训，这是必不可少的。it is essential to do something It is essential to book in advance. 提前预订是完全必要的。 Window locks are fairly cheap and absolutely essential. 窗锁相当便宜，绝对有必要安装。 Even in small companies, computers are an essential tool. 即使在小公司里，计算机也是不可或缺的工具。► see thesaurus at important, necessary2 MAINthe essential part, quality, or feature of something is the most basic one 最基本的；本质的 SYN fundamental The essential difference between Sam and me was the fact that I took life seriously. 我和萨姆的根本区别在于我是认真对待生活的。 The essential point of relay racing is that it is a team effort. 接力赛跑的基本要点是讲究团队配合。n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: extremely important and necessarynounsessential informationYou can get essential travel information from the website.essential readingThe journal is essential reading for doctors.essential services (=organizations such as the police or the fire or health service)The law prohibits workers in essential services from striking.adverbsabsolutely/really essentialIt is absolutely essential to keep this information secret.verbsbe seen/regarded as essentialThese measures are seen as essential for national security.be considered/deemed essentialDuring the summer, air conditioning is considered essential.phrasesplay/perform an essential role in somethingAntibiotics play an essential role in controlling infection.n THESAURUSessential extremely important and necessaryWater is essential for life.The right to protest is an essential part of any democracy.I missed out an essential ingredient.They learn skills that are essential for success in later life.vital extremely important and necessary. Vital sounds stronger than essentialHis evidence was vital to the defence case.Nurses and police officers provide vital services.It is vital that leaking gas pipes are fixed immediately.crucial extremely important and making the difference between success and failureAdvertising is crucial to successful book selling.The headteacher has played a crucial role in transforming this school.indispensable if someone or something is indispensable, you cannot do something without them and they are extremely usefulShe soon made herself indispensable in the office.Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives.something is a must informal used when recommending something to someone and saying that they should definitely have it, do it, visit it etcVirus checkers are a must for computer users concerned with security.If you’re in Austria, a visit to Salzburg is a must.n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: the essential part, quality, or feature of something is the most basic onenounsthe essential elementHard work is the essential element of his success.an essential ingredientMost people believe that love is an essential ingredient in a marriage.an essential differenceThe essential difference between the two boats lies in the design of the hull.the essential pointThe essential point is that all children should have an equal opportunity to study.an essential featureA free press is an essential feature of a democracy.an essential componentControlling inflation is an essential component of the government’s economic strategy.the essential nature of somethingThe essential nature of stem cells is that they are the source of all other cells in the body.Examples from the Corpus
essential• If you're going hiking in the mountains, a decent pair of boots is essential.• If you're going walking in the mountains, strong boots are essential.• A second essential component in all such programmes is winning over local people.• What is the essential difference between these two books?• The essential difference between this class and other French classes is that this is intended for business people.• Quick personal decisions are essential for success in an entrepreneurial business.• Calcium is essential for the development of healthy teeth and bones.• This follow-up is essential in ward teaching, but poor facilities often make it difficult to achieve without interruption.• But Silber and the others have identified one essential ingredient: abhorrence for the status quo.• The structure of levels was an essential part of the National Curriculum from its inception.• The tourist industry is now acknowledged as an essential part of the Spanish economy.• The essential point is that you both need to treat each other with much more respect.• They consider that an exchange of information on this problem is an essential prerequisite.• It is essential that the oil is checked every 10,000 km.• It's essential that you wear protective clothing in this area.• Cleaners are the most essential, the most unseen, apparently the least powerful of modern capitalism's new working class.• The layer of fat on the baby seal's body is essential to its survival.• It is essential to read any document carefully before you sign it.• In undermining the notion of essential truth, however, Nietzsche also undermines the notion of an essential self.essential for/to• Programs such as this are essential for anybody building a library of scanned images, gem drawing files or other formats.• It is also essential to be honest about your financial needs or lack of financial ambition.• It is essential to book in advance.• Although essential to children, the tissue seems less important to healthy adults.• When roasting lean meats and small game birds, basting is essential to maintain moisture.• He acknowledged that it is essential to maintain the balance between basic research and commissioned research.• In these respects, as your Lordships can see, the Lawrence principle was not essential to the reasoning.• This context is essential to the understanding of humanism, one of the fundamental aspects of Western thought.• Good food is essential for your health.essential difference• This is the essential difference between anthropology and Darwinism.• This has led to the argument that there is no essential difference between debt and tax finance.• What then is the essential difference between direct and traditional insurance?• The essential difference between free email and its paid for counterpart is that the email service is provided through a Web interface.• The essential difference between single-step selection and cumulative selection is this.• And in that there lies an essential difference between the painters and the poets here.• The market-based economies and private ownership in Western democracies make an essential difference in the scope and application of the centralization concepts.• Whether they made an essential difference is another story, but I tend to think that everything counts.essential2 noun 1 [countable usually plural]IMPORTANT something that is necessary to do something or in a particular situation 必需品；必不可少的东西 SYN necessity She packed a few essentials. 她把几件生活必需品装进箱子。 We only had the bare essentials (=the most necessary things). 我们只有几样最要紧的东西。2 the essentials [plural]MAIN the basic and most important information or facts about a particular subject 要点，要素the essentials of We have no reason to doubt the essentials of the girl’s story. 我们没有理由怀疑这个女孩描述中的要点。Examples from the Corpus
essential• She had packed two cases with clothes, towels and essentials.• Her bag was light now, only packed with the bare essentials.• In any conference or special event there are certain essentials.• Leg infantry has to carry every item they will need, and that means only the barest of essentials.• The budget provides money for food, transportation, and other essentials.• But also, the principle of parsimony should be used to keep the research down to essentials.• Now it was down to essentials.bare essentials• Peter Stansill provided the bare essentials, and Williams, hurriedly schooled in the importance of deadlines, learnt on the job.• Yet Gloria herself never seemed to hold on to more than the bare essentials that they had in their two paper carriers.• Now, she was stripped down to the bare essentials of her person, trying to deal with her knowledge.• Reduced to the bare essentials, the divergent internal performance patterns looked like the figure on page 264.• Despite a lifestyle stripped to the bare essentials, they are also some of the most visually arresting animals in the desert.• Her bag was light now, only packed with the bare essentials.• Learn how to distil large quantities of information into their bare essentials. 7.• As its title suggests, Functionalism tends to reduce a problem, and its solution, to bare essentials.es·sen·tial1 adjective →n COLLOCATIONS1 →n COLLOCATIONS2
→n THESAURUS1essential2 nounLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
→n THESAURUS1essential2 nounLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
and extremely important necessary Corpus
essential
es‧sen‧tial1 S3 W2 /ɪˈsenʃəl/ 
adjective
essential for/to
A good diet is essential for everyone.
it is essential (that)
It is essential that our pilots are given the best possible training.
it is essential to do something
It is essential to book in advance.
Window locks are fairly cheap and absolutely essential.
Even in small companies, computers are an essential tool.
2. the essential part, quality, or feature of something is the most basic one
SYN fundamental:
The essential difference between Sam and me was the fact that I took life seriously.
The essential point of relay racing is that it is a team effort.
■ nouns
▪essential information You can get essential travel information from the website.
▪essential reading The journal is essential reading for doctors.
▪essential services (=organizations such as the police or the fire or health service) The law prohibits workers in essential services from striking.
■ adverbs
▪absolutely/really essential It is absolutely essential to keep this information secret.
■ verbs
▪be seen/regarded as essential These measures are seen as essential for national security.
▪be considered/deemed essential During the summer, air conditioning is considered essential.
■ phrases
▪play/perform an essential role in something Antibiotics play an essential role in controlling infection.
■ nouns
▪the essential element Hard work is the essential element of his success.
▪an essential ingredient Most people believe that love is an essential ingredient in a marriage.
▪an essential difference The essential difference between the two boats lies in the design of the hull.
▪the essential point The essential point is that all children should have an equal opportunity to study.
▪an essential feature A free press is an essential feature of a democracy.
▪an essential component Controlling inflation is an essential component of the government’s economic strategy.
▪the essential nature of something The essential nature of stem cells is that they are the source of all other cells in the body.
▪ essential extremely important and necessary: Water is essential for life. | The right to protest is an essential part of any democracy. | I missed out an essential ingredient. | They learn skills that are essential for success in later life.
▪vital extremely important and necessary. Vital sounds stronger than essential: His evidence was vital to the defence case. | Nurses and police officers provide vital services. | It is vital that leaking gas pipes are fixed immediately.
▪crucial extremely important and making the difference between success and failure: Advertising is crucial to successful bookselling. | The headteacher has played a crucial role in transforming this school.
▪indispensable if someone or something is indispensable, you cannot do something without them and they are extremely useful: She soon made herself indispensable in the office. | Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our daily lives.
▪something is a must informal used when recommending something to someone and saying that they should definitely have it, do it, visit it etc: Virus checkers are a must for computer users concerned with security. | If you’re in Austria, a visit to Salzburg is a must.
essential2 noun
1. [countable usually plural] something that is necessary to do something or in a particular situation
SYN necessity:
She packed a few essentials.
We only had the bare essentials (=the most necessary things).
2. the essentials [plural] the basic and most important information or facts about a particular subject
the essentials of
We have no reason to doubt the essentials of the girl’s story.
| I |
adjective Word Family: noun: essence, essentials ≠ inessentials; adverb: essentially; adjective: essential ≠ inessential
1. extremely important and necessaryessential for/to
it is essential (that)
it is essential to do something
2. the essential part, quality, or feature of something is the most basic one
SYN fundamental:
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noun1. [countable usually plural] something that is necessary to do something or in a particular situation
SYN necessity:
2. the essentials [plural] the basic and most important information or facts about a particular subject
the essentials of
essential extremely important and completely necessary, because without it sth cannot exist, be made or be successful 指极其重要的、完全必要的、必不可少的 ：◆ Experience is essential for this job. 对于这个工作，经验是非常重要的。 vital essential 指极其重要的、完全必要的、必不可少的 ：◆ The police play a vital role in our society. 警察在我们的社会中起着极其重要的作用。
essential or vital? 用 essential 还是 vital？
crucial extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it 指至关重要的、关键的 ：◆ It is crucial that we get this right. 我们把这个问题弄明白是极其重要的。 critical extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it 指至关重要的、关键的 ：◆ Your decision is critical to our future. 你的决定对我们的将来至关重要。
crucial or critical? 用 crucial 还是 critical？
decisive of the greatest importance in affecting the final result of a particular situation 指决定性的、关键的 ：◆ She has played a decisive role in the peace negotiations. 她在和谈中起了关键作用。 indispensable essential; too important to be without 指必需的、不可或缺的 ：◆ Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives. 汽车已成了我们生活中必不可少的一部分。
Patterns
essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable for sthessential/vital/crucial/critical/indispensable to sthessential/vital/crucial/critical that… essential/vital/crucial/critical to do sth a(n) essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable part/factor of vital/crucial/critical/decisiveimportance absolutely essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable
Highlighting an important point 强调重点
◆ This case emphasizes /highlights the importance of honest communication between managers and employees.这个事例凸显出经理与员工之间坦诚交流的重要性。 ◆ Effective communication skills are essential /crucial /vital .有效的交流技巧是至关重要的。 ◆ It should be noted that this study considers only verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is not dealt with here.应该注意的是本研究只考查了言语交流，在此没有涉及非言语交流。 ◆ It is important to remember that /An important point to remember is that non-verbal communication plays a key role in getting your message across.非言语交流在传递信息过程中起着重要的作用，记住这一点非常重要。 ◆ Communication is not only about the words you use but also your body language and, especially /above all , the effectiveness with which you listen.交流不仅涉及使用的词语，同时也涉及身体语言，尤其与能否有效听取对方的话有关。 ◆ I would like to draw attention to the role of listening in effective communication.我想让大家注意倾听在有效交流中扮演的角色。 ◆ Choose your words carefully: in particular , avoid confusing and ambiguous language.注意用词，特别是避免使用令人费解和有歧义的语言。 ◆ Finally, and perhaps most importantly , you must learn to listen as well as to speak.最后，也许是最重要的，你不仅要学会说还要学会听。