main

¹

[meyn]

adjective

1. chief in size, extent, or importance; principal; leading.

   the company's main office;

   the main features of a plan.

   Synonyms: capital, primary, paramount, prime, cardinal
   Antonyms: least, secondary

2. sheer; utmost, as strength or force.

   to lift a stone by main force.

   Synonyms: unqualified, pure

3. of or relating to a broad expanse.

   main sea.

4. Grammar.,  syntactically independent; capable of use in isolation.

5. Nautical.

   1. of or relating to a mainmast.

   2. noting or pertaining to a sail, yard, boom, etc., or to any rigging belonging to a mainmast.

   3. noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a mainmast.

      main topmast stay.

6. Obsolete.

   1. having or exerting great strength or force; mighty.

   2. having momentous or important results; significant.

noun

1. a principal pipe or duct in a system used to distribute water, gas, etc.

   Synonyms: conduit

2. physical strength, power, or force.

   to struggle with might and main.

   Synonyms: might
   Antonyms: weakness

3. the chief or principal part or point.

   The main of their investments was lost during the war.

4. Literary.,  the open ocean; high sea.

   the bounding main.

5. the mainland.

6. Usually mains a main course in a meal.

   The restaurant offers four mains: one chicken, two beef, and one fish.

adverb

1. South Midland U.S. (chiefly Appalachian).,  very; exceedingly.

   The dogs treed a main big coon.

verb (used with or without object)

1. Slang.,  mainline.

main

²

[meyn]

noun

1. a cockfighting match.

Main

³

[meyn, mahyn]

noun

1. a river in central and W Germany, flowing W from the Bohemian Forest in N Bavaria into the Rhine at Mainz. 305 miles (490 km) long.

main

¹

/ meɪn /

adjective

1. chief or principal in rank, importance, size, etc

2. sheer or utmost (esp in the phrase by main force )

3. nautical of, relating to, or denoting any gear, such as a stay or sail, belonging to the mainmast

4. obsolete,  significant or important

noun

1. a principal pipe, conduit, duct, or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, etc

2. (plural)

   1. the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity

   2. ( as modifier )

      mains voltage

3. the chief or most important part or consideration

4. great strength or force (now chiefly in the phrase ( with ) might and main )

5. literary,  the open ocean

6. archaic,  short for Spanish Main

7. archaic,  short for mainland

8. on the whole; for the most part

main

²

/ meɪn /

noun

1. a throw of the dice in dice games

2. a cockfighting contest

3. a match in archery, boxing, etc

Main

³

/ meɪn, main /

noun

1. a river in central and W Germany, flowing west through Würzburg and Frankfurt to the Rhine. Length: about 515 km (320 miles)

Word History and Origins

Origin of main¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun main(e), mayn(e) “strength, power,” Old English mægen, megen, cognate with Old Norse magn, megin, megn “strength”; Middle English adjective main(e), partly from Old Norse megin-, megn “strong,” partly from Old English noun mægen used in compounds, as in mægen-weorc “mighty work”

Origin of main²

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain; perhaps special use of main ¹; compare main chance

Word History and Origins

Origin of main¹

C13: from Old English mægen strength

Origin of main²

C16: of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in the main, for the most part; chiefly.

   In the main, the novel was dull reading.

More idioms and phrases containing main

• eye to the main chance
• in the main
• might and main

Example Sentences

On their final album, “Turtle Soup,” the Turtles hired Ray Davies as their producer; it was his first production outside his main band, the Kinks.

From Los Angeles Times

Scottish Football Podcast: 'You've damaged one of main rivals to win group'

From BBC

Frost but originally read for the part of Corporal Hicks, had gotten that role instead of Michael Biehn, one of Weaver’s main co-stars.

From Salon

Members of the public have been temporarily banned from walking into the main chamber of the House of Commons after a mobile phone was found hidden there during a security sweep.

From BBC

The three-dimensional sign was installed as part of an $80-million face lift of the airport’s main entrance ahead of the Democratic National Convention in 2000.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• central 
• essential 
• fundamental 
• leading 
• major 
• particular 
• preeminent 
• primary 
• prime 
• special 
• vital