Crux
Southern sky asterism
The crux is the essential or decisive point—the part that determines everything else: The crux of the matter is whether we can afford it.
A crux is also a puzzling or difficult problem.
The word comes from Latin for cross, suggesting a crossroads where one must choose, or a point of intersection where things come together.
Circulatory system's pump
- essenceFundamental nature of something
- nubCentral point, essence
- gistCentral meaning distilled
- kernelSeed or essential core
nucleus · center · pivot · lynchpin · focal point · root · substance · matter
Central essential element
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- linchpinVital securing element
- turning pointDecisive moment of change
- main pointEssential takeaway of something
fulcrum · basis · foundation · cornerstone · premise · proposition · contention
State of being hard
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- challengeTest of ability
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- sticking pointUnresolved issue blocking progress
bottleneck · obstacle · impasse · knot · complication · predicament · conundrum · issue
Southern centaur constellation
- southern hemisphereRegion below the equator
- navigationDetermining position and course
- circumpolarAround the pole
- asterismProminent stellar configuration
heart
Circulatory system's pump
kernel · nucleus · center · pivot · lynchpin · focal point · root · substance · matter · pith
key point
Central essential element
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- linchpinVital securing element
- turning pointDecisive moment of change
main point · fulcrum · basis · foundation · cornerstone · premise · proposition · contention
difficulty
State of being hard
sticking point · bottleneck · obstacle · impasse · knot · complication · predicament · conundrum · issue · snag
Centaurus
Southern centaur constellation
- southern hemisphereRegion below the equator
- navigationDetermining position and course
- circumpolarAround the pole
move
Change location or act
technical · sequence · beta · send · project · traverse · dyno · route · grip · ascent
- celestialsun, moon, stars, planet, planets
- Catholic MediaCNA, Magnificat, La Croix, religious broadcasting
- Southern SkyCentaurus, Mensa, Norma, Indus, Magellanic Clouds
- Church LatinAve Maria, Gloria, Kyrie, Magnificat, Dies Irae
CruxUrsa Minor
Northern circumpolar constellation
Polaris · Ursa Major · Little Dipper · Big Dipper · Cassiopeia
Cruxtriviality
Unimportant small matter
irrelevancy · periphery · irrelevance · side issue · tangent
Cruxsuperficiality
Absence of meaningful depth
periphery · fringe · margin · ornament · embellishment
- caped crusaderCloaked vigilante hero
- moral crusaderAdvocate for ethical standards
- The CrucibleDrama about witch accusations
- anterior cruciate ligamentKnee's rotational stability band
- cruciate ligamentKnee's cross-shaped stabilizers
- First Crusade1096 expedition to Jerusalem
crucial, crucially, cruciate, crucible, crucifix, crucifixion, crucify, cruciform, crusade