What does the word substance mean?

Usage examples for substance

  1. And then he went on to tell his story, the substance of which was as follows: On the previous morning about dawn the people at the Dalton Inn were aroused by a hurried knock. – The Living Link by James De Mille
  2. She taught me that there's an appearance which may be mistaken for the substance. – The Iron Furrow by George C. Shedd