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Concerned with or pertaining to the most basic or fundamental aspects of something. Too much information will overwhelm the new intern, so just give him the meat-and-potatoes introduction. The meat-and-potatoes argument is that the law will unfairly target lower-class workers.
meat and potatoes
The fundamental part or parts of something, as in This paragraph is the meat and potatoes of the contract. This metaphoric term transfers what some regard as basic fare to the basics of an issue. [Mid-1900s]
meat and potatoesINFORMAL
The meat and potatoes of something are the most important and basic things about it or parts of it. American workwear is the meat and potatoes of off-duty clothing. The real meat and potatoes of any auto show is in the cars and trucks people can buy now.
meat and potatoesordinary but fundamental things; basic ingredients.
1993 New York Times Mainstream rock acts like Van Halen and Bruce Springsteen are the meat and potatoes of A.O.R.
ˌmeat-and-poˈtatoes(American English) dealing with or interested in the most basic and important aspects of something: a meat-and-potatoes argument ♢ My father always was a meat-and-potatoes man (= a person who likes simple things).
meat and potatoesInformal
The fundamental parts or part; the basis.