of the essence

1. Of the greatest importance, crucial, as in Time is of the essence. This idiom, which uses essence in the sense of “the most important element of something,” was first recorded in 1873, although the phrase the essence of... was already being used in the mid-1600s.

Example Sentences

One ally of Mahmood told the BBC: "She knows that time is of the essence. She didn't take long to take big decisions at the Ministry of Justice, and she doesn't tend to hang about."

From BBC

It says the government's announcement is "vital and long-overdue", but time is of the essence.

From BBC

The filing insisted that time was “of the essence” in a plot that allegedly was hatched in February 2023.

From Los Angeles Times

He added that “time is of the essence,” because farms and orchards are “coming right into our busiest time.”

From Los Angeles Times

He stated that time was “of the essence.”

From Los Angeles Times