main

main: main¹ W1S1 [meın] adj [only before noun]

[: Old English; Origin: mAgen-, from mAgen 'strength']

1.) bigger or more important than all other things, ideas etc of the same kind

▪ The main reason for living in Spain is the weather.

▪ What do you consider to be the main problem?

▪ Our main concern is that the children are safe.

▪ a summary of the main points of the agreement

▪ the main aim of the meeting

▪ I'll meet you outside the main entrance.

▪ the main bedroom

2.) the main thing

spoken used to say what is the most important thing in a situation

▪ As long as you're not hurt, that's the main thing.

▪ The main thing is not to panic.

→an eye for/on/to the main chance at ↑eye¹(22)

main ²

main² n

1.)

a large pipe or wire carrying the public supply of water, electricity, or gas

▪ The report found that many of Yorkshire's water mains needed replacing.

▪ a burst gas main

2.) BrE a) the mains

the place on a wall where you can connect something to a supply of electricity

▪ You can run the torch off batteries or plug it into the mains.

at the mains

▪ Make sure that the television is turned off at the mains.

b) mains gas/water/electricity

gas, water, or electricity supplied to a building through a pipe or wire

▪ The heater will run off mains gas or bottled gas.

3.) in the main

mostly

▪ Their job in the main consisted of cleaning and maintaining the building.

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Synonyms:

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

Look at other dictionaries:

Main — (m[=a]n), a. [From {Main} strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. {Magnate}.] 1. Very or extremely strong. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] That current with main fury ran. Daniel. [1913 Webster] 2. Vast; huge. [Obs.] The… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Main — Main, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. [root]103. See {May}, v.] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] [1913 Webster] There were in this battle of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
main — (m[=a]n), n. [F. main hand, L. manus. See {Manual}.] 1. A hand or match at dice. Prior. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] 2. A stake played for at dice. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Main — Main, adv. [See {Main}, a.] Very; extremely; as, main heavy. I m main dry. Foote. [Obs. or Low] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
MAIN — s. f. Partie du corps humain, qui est à l extrémité du bras, qui s étend depuis le poignet jusqu au bout des doigts, et que sa conformation rend propre à toute sorte d actions et d ouvrages. La main droite. La main gauche. Le creux, le dedans, la … Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)
MAIN — n. f. Partie du corps humain qui est à l’extrémité du bras, qui s’étend depuis le poignet jusqu’au bout des doigts, qui sert à la préhension, qui est le principal organe du toucher et que sa conformation rend propre à toute sorte d’actions et… … Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)
Main — For the Wikipedia website front page, see Main Page. For the Wikipedia main namespace, see Help:Namespace. Main may refer to: Main (river), a major river and tributary of the Rhine in Germany Main River (Chukotka), a river in Far Eastern Siberia… … Wikipedia
main — I. noun Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English, from Old English mǣgen; 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… … New Collegiate Dictionary
main — See: IN THE MAIN, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN … Dictionary of American idioms
main — See: IN THE MAIN, WITH MIGHT AND MAIN … Dictionary of American idioms
Main Street — in Salinas, California For other uses, see Main Street (disambiguation). Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name (and often the official name) of the primary retail street of a village, tow … Wikipedia

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