Meat

Meat
1. Food, in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast. Hence, the edible part of anything; as, the meat of a lobster, a nut, or an egg. And god said, Behold, i have given you every herb bearing seed, . . . To you it shall be for meat. (gen. I. 29) Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you. (gen. Ix. 3)
2. The flesh of animals used as food; especially, animal muscle; as, a breakfast of bread and fruit without meat.
3. Specifically, dinner; the chief meal. Meat biscuit. See biscuit.
(Science: chemical) meat earth, vegetable mold. Meat fly.
(Science: zoology) An offering of food, especially. Of a cake made of flour with salt and oil. To go to meat, to go to a meal. To sit at meat, to sit at the table in taking food.
Origin: oe. Mete, AS. Mete; akin to os. Mat, meti, D. Met hashed meat, g. Mettwurst sausage, OHG. Maz food, Icel. Matr, Sw. Mat, dan. Mad, goth. Mats. Cf. Mast fruit, mush.
The choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; the gist of the prosecutor’s argument; the heart and soul of the republican Party; ”the nub of the story.