a result or effect
importance or relevance
The exact time is of no consequence as long as we know the date
dated social importance
people of consequence
(in pl, but treated as sing.) a game in which a story is made up by consecutive players, each of whom is ignorant of what the previous player contributed, and which concludes with a contribution beginning ‘and the consequence was … ’
in consequence
as a result; consequently
take/bear the consequences
to accept responsibility for the possibly undesirable results of one's decision
[Latin consequentia consequence, result, from consequent-, consequens, present part. of consequi: see consecutive]