main
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: mān
ipa: /meɪn/
rhymes: -eɪn
homophone: mane
homophone: Maine
Etymology: From Middle English mayn, main, maine, mæin, meyn, from main (noun) (see further at etymology 2); compare Old English mæġen (“strong, main, principal”) (used in combination) and Old Norse megn, megenn (“strong, main”).
The word is cognate with Old High German megīn (“strong, mighty”) (modern German Möge, Vermögen (“power, wealth”)), and also akin to Old English magan (“to be able to”). See also may.
Senses: examples: text: The main office is actually one of the smaller rooms.
text: Religion direct us rather to ſecure inward peace than outward eaſe, to be more careful to avoid everlaſting and intolerable torment than ſhort and light afflictions which are but for a moment; […] In a word, our main intereſt is to be as happy as we can, and as long as is poſſible; and if we be caſt into ſuch circumſtances, that we muſt be either in part and for a time or elſe wholly and always miſerable, the beſt wiſdom is to chuſe the greateſt and moſt laſting happiness, but the leaſt and ſhorteſt miſery.
ref: 1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC:
text: With some of it on the south and more of it on the north of the great main thoroughfare that connects Aldgate and the East India Docks, St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London.
ref: 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 77:
text: By one o'clock the place was choc-a-bloc. […] The restaurant was packed, and the promenade between the two main courts and the subsidiary courts was thronged with healthy-looking youngish people, drawn to the Mecca of tennis from all parts of the country.
ref: 1935, [George Goodchild], chapter 5, in Death on the Centre Court; a McLean Mystery, London: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
glosses: Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.
examples: text: main timbers
text: main branch of a river
text: main body of an army
text: Not uninvented that, which thou aright / Beleivſt ſo main to our ſucceſs, I bring; […]
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 470–471:
text: The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania. […] It was used to make kerosene, the main fuel for artificial lighting after overfishing led to a shortage of whale blubber. Other liquids produced in the refining process, too unstable or smoky for lamplight, were burned or dumped.
ref: 2013 August 3, “The Future of Oil: Yesterday’s fuel”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847, archived from the original on 01 Aug 2013:
synonyms: largest
glosses: Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part.
examples: text: […] I shall never forget the diabolical sneer which writhed Rashleigh's wayward features, as I was forced from the apartment by the main strength of two of these youthful Titans.
ref: 1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter XII, in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 281:
text: Wounded and overthrown, the Britons continued their resistance, clung round the legs of the Norman steeds, and cumbered their advance; while their brethren, thrusting with pikes, proved every joint and crevice of the plate and mail, or grappling with the men-at-arms, strove to pull them from their horses by main force, or beat them down with their bills and Welch hooks.
ref: 1825 June 22, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Tales of the Crusaders. […], volume I (The Betrothed), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 71:
qualifier: strength
glosses: Full, sheer, undivided.
raw_tags: of force
glosses: Big; angry.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Belonging to or connected with the principal mast in a vessel.
examples: text: And now that Current with main Fury ran / (The Stop remov'd that did the Courſe defend) / Unto the full of Miſchief, that began / T' an univerſal Ruin to extend; […]
ref: 1718, Samuel Daniel, “The History of the Civil War. Book V.”, in The Poetical Works of Mr. Samuel Daniel, Author of the English History. […], volume II, London: Printed for R. Gosling, […] W. Mears, […] and J. Browne […], →OCLC, stanza LXXXIX, page 167:
glosses: Great in size or degree; important, powerful, strong, vast.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: drain the main vein
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: left main
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main asteroid belt
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main battle tank
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main belt
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main bitch
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainboard
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainboom
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main building
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainchain
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main chance
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main character
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main character syndrome
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main clause
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main contractor
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main course
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: maincrop
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main curtain
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: maindeck
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main deck
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main diagonal
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main dish
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main drag
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main drape
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main earth
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main event
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainfall
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main frame
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainframe
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main gear
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main group
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main group element
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main guard
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main house
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainly
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main man
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main market
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main meal
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main memory
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main menu
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main page
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainpiece
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainpin
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main pot
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainpriv
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main rag
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main road
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainsail
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main sequence
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main-sequence
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainshaft
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main sheet
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainshock
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainspace
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainspan
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainstage
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main stage
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: Main Standard Time
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainstay
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainstem
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: mainstream
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main thing
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main verb
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: main wheel
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: nonmain
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: on main
sense: Terms derived from main (adjective)
word: Percy Main