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crux of the matter

[/krʌks əv ðə ˈmætər/]
noun phrase
o cerne da questão
1. The most important or critical point; the heart of the issue; the decisive or crucial element of a situation or problem
The crux of the matter is whether we have enough funding to complete the project.
O cerne da questão é se temos financiamento suficiente para completar o projeto.
2. The point on which something depends or turns; the essential difficulty or problem
We've discussed many details, but the crux of the matter remains unresolved.
Discutimos muitos detalhes, mas o cerne da questão permanece sem resolver.
NYC Slang
the real deal / the bottom line / what it really comes down to
Synonyms
heart of the matteressencecore issuekey pointmain pointthe long and short of it
Antonyms
irrelevant detailperipheral issuetrivial matter

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
o cerne da questão / o ponto essencial / a questão central
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
o cerne da questão / a questão chave
Standard usage
São Paulo
o cerne da questão / o fulcro da questão
Standard usage, sometimes more formal
Portugal
a essência do assunto / o cerne da questão / o ponto nodal
Portuguese variant, sometimes uses 'ponto nodal' for emphasis

Related Idioms & Phrases

get to the heart of the matter
the heart of the matter
the root of the problem
the bottom line
the long and short of it
cut to the chase
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