lifeblood
What sustains something
Lifeblood is the blood necessary for life, but the word almost always appears figuratively.
The lifeblood of something is what sustains it or makes it vital: Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy.
Tourism is the lifeblood of the island.
The metaphor emphasizes essential circulation—without it, the thing dies.
Purest embodiment of something
gist · nucleus · heart · kernel · hub · epicenter · core · essence
Deep, loyal commitment
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- driveOperate a vehicle
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
- zealIntense driving devotion
ardor · fervor · enthusiasm · fire · spirit · heart · energy · vigor
Oxygen-rich blood conduit
- veinVessel toward heart
- circulationMovement through a system
- plasmaElectrified matter state
- hemoglobinErythrocyte's oxygen-binding protein
oxygenation · heartbeat · pulse · transfusion · serum · capillary · cardiovascular · hematology
Food that sustains life
- fuelEnergy source material
- sustenanceMeans of living
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
- circulationMovement through a system
energy · elixir · survival · subsistence · support · nutrition · feeding · replenishment
quintessence
Purest embodiment of something
pith · gist · nucleus · heart · kernel · hub · epicenter · core · essence · principle
devotion
Deep, loyal commitment
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- driveOperate a vehicle
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
zeal · ardor · fervor · enthusiasm · fire · spirit · heart · energy · vigor · intensity
artery
Oxygen-rich blood conduit
- veinVessel toward heart
- circulationMovement through a system
- plasmaElectrified matter state
hemoglobin · oxygenation · heartbeat · pulse · transfusion · serum · capillary · cardiovascular · hematology
nourishment
Food that sustains life
- fuelEnergy source material
- sustenanceMeans of living
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
circulation · energy · elixir · survival · subsistence · support · nutrition · feeding · replenishment · infusion
revenue
Business income total
- capitalWealth used for investment
- fundingSupplying monetary resources
- cash flowMoney entering and exiting
investment · income · resources · trade · commerce · money · finance · currency · liquidity · economy
- "life" phrasesnightlife, wildlife, lowlife, highlife
- body metaphorsbackbone, blind spot, gut feeling, headache, heartbeat
- life sourcessun, air, oxygen, food, breath
- existenceexistence, being, lives, reality, actuality
- fundamentalsbasics, fundamentals, essentials, foundation, ABCs
- necessitiesbasics, essentials, need, essential, needs
lifebloodluxury
Expensive nonessential comfort
superfluity · nonessential · frill · extra · inessential
lifebloodpoison
Harmful ingested substance
death knell · toxin · bane · kiss of death · cancer
life, blood, lifeless, lifetime, lifestyle, lifelong, bloodline, livelihood, lifeline