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 — Main, f. monosyl. Manus. l Espagnol et l Italien le disent de mesmes, Mano. La main dextre, Dextera, vel Dextra. La main senestre ou gauche, Laeua, Sinistra. Main chargée et pleine de quelque chose, Grauis manus. La main est toute engourdie et… … Thresor de la langue françoyse
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 — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ chief in size or importance. ► NOUN 1) a principal water or gas pipe or electricity cable. 2) (the mains) Brit. public water, gas, or electricity supply through pipes or cables. 3) (the main) archaic or literary the open ocean … English terms dictionary
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

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