Adjacent Words

Main definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MAIN, a. [L. magnus.]
1. Principal; chief; that which has most power in producing an effect, or which is mostly regarded in prospect; as the main branch or tributary stream of a river; the main timbers of an edifice; a main design; a main object.
Our main interest is to be as happy as we can, and as long as possible.
2. Mighty; vast; as the main abyss.
3. Important; powerful.
This young prince, with a train of young noblemen and gentlemen, not with any main army, came over to take possession of his patrimony.
MAIN, n. Strength; force; violent effort; as in the phrase, "with might and main."
1. The gross; the bulk; the greater part.
The main of them may be reduced to language and an improvement in wisdom--
2. The ocean; the great sea, as distinguished from rivers, bays, sounds and the like.
He fell, and struggling in the main--
3. The continent, as distinguished from an isle. We arrived at Nantucket on Saturday, but did not reach the main till Monday. In this use of the word, land is omitted; main for main land.
4. A hamper.
5. A course; a duct.
For the main, in the main, for the most part; in the greatest part.
MAIN, n. [L. manus, hand.] A hand at dice. We throw a merry main.
And lucky mains make people wise. [Not used.]
1. A match at cock fighting.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch" [syn: chief, main, primary, principal, master]
2: (of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence; "the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb" [syn: independent, main] [ant: dependent, subordinate]
3: of force; of the greatest possible intensity; "by main strength" n
1: any very large body of (salt) water [syn: main, briny]
2: a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage

Merriam Webster's

geographical name river 325 miles (523 kilometers) S central Germany rising in N Bavaria in the Fichtelgebirge & flowing W into the Rhine

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English, from Old English m?gen; akin to Old High German magan strength, Old English magan to be able; in other senses, from ²main or by shortening — more at may Date: before 12th century 1. physical strength ; force — used in the phrase with might and main 2. a. mainland b. high sea 3. the chief part ; essential point <they are in the main well-trained> 4. a pipe, duct, or circuit which carries the combined flow of tributary branches of a utility system 5. a. mainmast b. mainsail II. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Old English m?gen-, from m?gen strength Date: 15th century 1. chief, principal <the main idea> 2. fully exerted ; sheer <main force> <by main strength> 3. obsolete of or relating to a broad expanse (as of sea) 4. connected with or located near the mainmast or mainsail 5. expressing the chief predication in a complex sentence <the main clause>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj. & n. --adj. 1 chief in size, importance, extent, etc.; principal (the main part; the main point). 2 exerted to the full (by main force). --n. 1 a principal channel, duct, etc., for water, sewage, etc. (water main). 2 (usu. in pl.; prec. by the) a the central distribution network for electricity, gas, water, etc. b a domestic electricity supply as distinct from batteries. 3 archaic or poet. a the ocean or oceans (the Spanish Main). b the mainland. Phrases and idioms: in the main for the most part. main brace Naut. the brace attached to the main yard. the main chance one's own interests. main course 1 the chief course of a meal. 2 Naut. the mainsail. main deck Naut. 1 the deck below the spar-deck in a man-of-war. 2 the upper deck between the poop and the forecastle in a merchantman. main line 1 a chief railway line. 2 sl. a principal vein, esp. as a site for a drug injection (cf. MAINLINE). 3 US a chief road or street. main stem US colloq. = main street. main street the principal street of a town. Main Street US materialistic philosophy (after Sinclair Lewis's novel, 1920). main yard Naut. the yard on which the mainsail is extended. with might and main with all one's force. Etymology: ME, partly f. ON megenn, megn (adj.), partly f. OE mægen- f. Gmc: (n.) orig. = physical force 2. n. 1 (in the game of hazard) a number (5, 6, 7, 8, or 9) called by a player before dice are thrown. 2 a match between fighting-cocks. Etymology: 16th c.: prob. orig. main chance: see MAIN(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Main Main, n. [F. main hand, L. manus. See Manual.] 1. A hand or match at dice. --Prior. Thackeray. 2. A stake played for at dice. [Obs.] --Shak. 3. The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given limits, as in the game of hazard. 4. A match at cockfighting. ``My lord would ride twenty miles . . . to see a main fought.'' --Thackeray. 5. A main-hamper. [Obs.] --Ainsworth.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Main Main, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. ?. See May, v.] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] There were in this battle of most might and main. --R. of Gl. He 'gan advance, With huge force, and with importable main. --Spenser. 2. The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing. [Obs., except in special uses.] Resolved to rest upon the title of Lancaster as the main, and to use the other two . . . but as supporters. --Bacon. 3. Specifically: (a) The great sea, as distinguished from an arm, bay, etc.; the high sea; the ocean. ``Struggling in the main.'' --Dryden. (b) The continent, as distinguished from an island; the mainland. ``Invaded the main of Spain.'' --Bacon. (c) principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp. (Engin.), a principal pipe leading to or from a reservoir; as, a fire main. Forcing main, the delivery pipe of a pump. For the main, or In the main, for the most part; in the greatest part. With might and main, or With all one's might and main, with all one's strength; with violent effort. With might and main they chased the murderous fox. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Main Main, adv. [See Main, a.] Very; extremely; as, main heavy. ``I'm main dry.'' --Foote. [Obs. or Low]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Main Main, a. [From Main strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. Magnate.] 1. Very or extremely strong. [Obs.] That current with main fury ran. --Daniel. 2. Vast; huge. [Obs.] ``The main abyss.'' --Milton. 3. Unqualified; absolute; entire; sheer. [Obs.] ``It's a man untruth.'' --Sir W. Scott. 4. Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc. Our main interest is to be happy as we can. --Tillotson. 5. Important; necessary. [Obs.] That which thou aright Believest so main to our success, I bring. --Milton. By main force, by mere force or sheer force; by violent effort; as, to subdue insurrection by main force. That Maine which by main force Warwick did win. --Shak. By main strength, by sheer strength; as, to lift a heavy weight by main strength. Main beam (Steam Engine), working beam. Main boom (Naut.), the boom which extends the foot of the mainsail in a fore and aft vessel. Main brace. (a) (Mech.) The brace which resists the chief strain. Cf. Counter brace. (b) (Naut.) The brace attached to the main yard. Main center (Steam Engine), a shaft upon which a working beam or side lever swings. Main chance. See under Chance. Main couple (Arch.), the principal truss in a roof. Main deck (Naut.), the deck next below the spar deck; the principal deck. Main keel (Naut.), the principal or true keel of a vessel, as distinguished from the false keel. Syn: Principal; chief; leading; cardinal; capital.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(mains) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. The main thing is the most important one of several similar things in a particular situation. ...one of the main tourist areas of Amsterdam... My main concern now is to protect the children... What are the main differences and similarities between them? = chief ADJ: det ADJ 2. If you say that something is true in the main, you mean that it is generally true, although there may be exceptions. Tourists are, in the main, sympathetic people... = on the whole PHRASE: PHR with cl 3. The mains are the pipes which supply gas or water to buildings, or which take sewage away from them. ...the water supply from the mains... The capital has been without mains water since Wednesday night. N-COUNT: usu pl, usu with supp 4. The mains are the wires which supply electricity to buildings, or the place where the wires end inside the building. (mainly BRIT) ...amplifiers which plug into the mains... N-PLURAL: usu the N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Chief, principal, leading, cardinal, capital. 2. Important, essential, necessary, requisite, indispensable, vital. 3. Mighty, vast, huge, enormous. 4. Sheer, pure, directly applied. 5. Absolute, mere, direct, entire. II. n. 1. Ocean, great sea, high sea. 2. Continent, mainland. 3. Main conduit, main pipe, main duct, main channel. 4. Principal point. 5. Force, power, strength, might, violent effort. 6. The gross, the bulk, the greater part, majority. 7. Hamper, large basket.

Moby Thesaurus

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Eurasia, Eurasian landmass, Europe, North America, South America, absolute, all-absorbing, arch, awful, banner, basic, big, big drink, biggest, blue, blue water, brine, briny, brute, capital, cardinal, central, champion, channel, chief, cock, comprehensive, conduit, consequential, considerable, continent, controlling, crazy, critical, crowning, crucial, damned, deep, dominant, dreadful, drink, duct, effort, electric cable, energy, essential, exceedingly, exhaustive, extremely, fire main, first, focal, foremost, front, full, fundamental, gas main, grand, grave, great, greatest, head, headmost, heavy, hegemonic, high sea, high seas, highest, hydrosphere, in the main, intense, irresistible, landmass, largest, larruping, leading, line, magisterial, maiden, main sea, mainland, mainly, mains, major, master, maximum, mere, might, mighty, monstrous, necessary, ocean, ocean depths, ocean main, ocean sea, out-and-out, outstanding, overriding, overruling, paramount, particular, peninsula, pipe, pipeline, plain, plenary, power, power supply, powerful, predominant, predominating, preeminent, premier, preponderant, prevailing, primal, primary, prime, principal, pure, ranking, ruling, salt sea, salt water, sea, serious, sheer, sovereign, star, stellar, strength, strong, strongest, subcontinent, supereminent, supreme, thalassa, the bounding main, the brine, the briny, the briny deep, the deep, the deep sea, the seven seas, the vasty deep, tide, topflight, topmost, total, uppermost, utter, vigor, vital, water main