soul of, the

Idioms  

1. The essence of some quality, as in You can trust her; she's the soul of discretion, or He's the very soul of generosity but he can be cranky at times. This idiom was first recorded in 1605.

2. see soul of.

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Example Sentences

"When streets go dark and businesses shut early, you're not just closing shops, you're shutting down the soul of the city and risking the livelihoods that depend on it," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

So “Mule Boy” burrows into the tight, intimate space of the dying men’s final moments, and into the troubled soul of the boy fated to carry their story.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Where Jackson really left his mark was at the Democratic National Convention, delivering the “Rainbow Coalition” speech that shaped the soul of the Democratic party for decades to come.

From Salon • Feb. 17, 2026

Baseball’s obsession with velocity has dampened the soul of the sport.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 18, 2026

And when the crying had cleansed my soul of the great weight of pity, I got up and ran home.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya