MAIN

independent, main

(adjective) (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”

main, chief(a), primary, principal, master

(adjective) 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”

main

(adjective) of force; of the greatest possible intensity; “by main strength”

main

(noun) a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage

main, briny

(noun) any very large body of (salt) water

Source: WordNet® 3.1

---

Etymology 1

Adjective

main (not comparable)

Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal. [from 15th c.]

Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part.

Synonym: largest

(archaic, of force, strength, etc.) Full, sheer, undivided. [from 16th c.]

(dialectal) Big; angry.

(nautical) Belonging to or connected with the principal mast in a vessel.

(obsolete) Great in size or degree; important, powerful, strong, vast.

Adverb

main (comparative more main, superlative most main)

(Britain, dialectal) Exceedingly, extremely, greatly, mightily, very, very much.

Verb

main (third-person singular simple present mains, present participle maining, simple past and past participle mained)

(transitive) Short for mainline.

(transitive, gaming) To mainly play a specific character, or side, during a game.

(obsolete) Of a road: to convert into a main or primary road.

Etymology 2

Noun

main (plural mains)

That which is chief or principal; the chief or main portion; the bulk, the greater part, gross.

(video gaming) The primary character that one plays in a video game in which one can play more than one character.

Antonym: alt

A large cable or pipe providing utility service to an area or a building, such as a water main or electric main. [from 17th c.]

(informal) Short for main course.

(now, poetic) The high seas. [from 16th c.]

(now, archaic, US dialectal) The mainland. [from 16th c.]

(nautical) Short for mainsail. [from 17th c.]

(obsolete, except in might and main) Force, power, strength, violent effort. [from 9th c.]

Etymology 3

Noun

main (plural mains)

(obsolete, gaming) A hand or match in a game of dice.

(obsolete, gaming) The largest throw in a match at dice; in the game of hazard, a number from one to nine called out by a person before the dice are thrown.

(obsolete, gaming) A stake played for at dice.

(obsolete, gaming, sports) A sporting contest or match, especially a cockfighting match.

A banker's shovel for coins.

Etymology 4

Noun

main (plural mains)

(obsolete, rare) A basket for gathering grapes.

Anagrams

• Amin, Iman, Mani, Mian, Mina, NAMI, NIMA, Naim, amin, iman, mani, mina

Proper noun

Main

A river in southern Germany, flowing from Bavaria to the Rhine.

A river in Northern Ireland, flowing into Lough Neagh.

Anagrams

• Amin, Iman, Mani, Mian, Mina, NAMI, NIMA, Naim, amin, iman, mani, mina

Source: Wiktionary

---

Main, n. Etym: [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.

Main, n. Etym: [AS. mægen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. 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.

Main, a. Etym: [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.

Main, adv. Etym: [See Main, a.]

Definition: Very extremely; as, main heavy. "I'm main dry." Foote. [Obs. or Low]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

---

Do you know this game?

Wordscapes is a popular word game consistently in the top charts of both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The Android version has more than 10 million installs. This guide will help you get more coins in less than two minutes of playing the game. Continue reading Wordscapes: Get More Coins