adj : being the essence or essential element of a thing;
"substantial equivalents"; "substantive information"
[syn: substantial, substantive]
adv 1: at bottom or by one's (or its) very nature; "He is basically
dishonest"; "the argument was essentially a technical
one"; "for all his bluster he is in essence a shy
person" [syn: basically, fundamentally, essentially, au fond]
2: with regard to fundamentals although not concerning details;
"in principle, we agree" [syn: in principle, in theory]