Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Peter Mark Roget

signification, significance; sense, expression; import, purport; force; drift, tenor, spirit, bearing, coloring; scope. [important part of the meaning] substance; gist, essence, marrow, spirit &c 5. matter; subject, subject matter; argument, text, sum and substance. general meaning, broad meaning, substantial meaning, colloquial meaning, literal meaning, plain meaning, simple meaning, natural meaning, unstrained meaning, true meaning, &c (exact) 494 honest meaning, &c 543 prima facie meaning [Lat.]; &c (manifest) 525. letter of the law. literally; after acceptation. synonym; implication, allusion &c (latency) 526; suggestion &c (information) 527; figure of speech &c 521; acceptation &c (interpretation) 522. V. mean, signify, express; import, purport; convey, imply, breathe, indicate, bespeak, bear a sense; tell of, speak of; touch on; point to, allude to; drive at; involve &c (latency) 526; declare &c (affirm) 535. understand by &c (interpret) 522. Adj. meaning &c v.; expressive, suggestive, allusive; significant, significative†, significatory†; pithy; full of meaning, pregnant with meaning. declaratory &c 535; intelligible &c 518; literal; synonymous; tantamount &c (equivalent) 27; implied &c (latent) 526; explicit &c 525. Adv. to that effect; that is to say &c (being interpreted) 522.