main

main: main [mān]

n.

[ME < OE mægen, akin to ON magn: see MIGHT²]

1. physical strength; force; power: now only in with might and main, with all one's strength, with all one's strength

2. [< MAIN the adj.] the principal or most important part or point: usually in the phrase in the main, mostly, chiefly

3. a principal pipe, conduit, or line in a distribution system for water, gas, electricity, etc.

4. Old Poet. the high, or open, sea; ocean

5. Archaic the mainland: see SPANISH MAIN

6. Obs. any broad expanse

7. Naut. short for:Naut. short for

a) MAINMAST

b) MAINSAIL

adj.

[ME mayn < OE mægen- (in comp.) & ON meginn, strong]

1. Obs. strong; powerful

2. chief in size, extent, importance, etc.; principal; leading; specif., designating a large central unit on which subsidiaries or branches depend [the main post office]

3. of, near, or connected with the mainmast or mainsail

4. [Brit. Dial.] remarkable; considerable

5. Obs. designating a broad expanse of land, sea, or space

SYN.- CHIEF

——————

by main force or by main strength

by sheer force (or strength)

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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 — main … Dictionnaire des rimes
MAIN — La main, organe de préhension et récepteur sensitif important, est l’apanage des Primates et de l’homme. En vérité, la main humaine possède une signification particulière, car elle se trouve à l’extrémité du membre supérieur qui est libéré des… … Encyclopédie Universelle
Main — Karte des Mainverlaufs Daten Gewässerkennzahl … Deutsch Wikipedia
Main FM — Allgemeine Informationen Empfang früher: analog terrestrisch, Kabel … Deutsch Wikipedia
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 — der; [e]s: rechter Nebenfluss des Rheins. * * * I Main [dt. »Haupt «], die Hauptfunktion in einem C bzw. C++ Programm (C, C++). Jedes C bzw. C++ Programm muss genau eine solche Funktion enthalten, von der ausgehend der weitere Ablauf des Progr … Universal-Lexikon
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 — UK US /meɪn/ adjective ► biggest or most important: »The report identified three main areas for improvement. »Please go to the reception desk at the main entrance. »British Airways, the company s main rival, had also seen an improvement . »the… … Financial and business terms
MAIN — Street & Main, Inc. (Business » NASDAQ Symbols) * Moderate Alliance Of Informed Neighbors (Community) * Mapping Arkansas Information Network (Governmental » US Government) * Main Command Post(for Referenced Echelon) (Governmental » Military) … Abbreviations dictionary

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