chiefly, principally, primarily, mainly, in the main
(adverb) for the most part; “he is mainly interested in butterflies”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
mainly (not comparable)
(obsolete) Forcefully, vigorously. [13th-17th c.]
(obsolete) Of the production of a sound: loudly, powerfully. [14th-19th c.]
(obsolete) To a great degree; very much. [15th-19th c.]
Chiefly; for the most part. [from 17th c.]
• (forcefully): energetically, powerfully, strongly
• (loudly): earsplittingly, lustily, raucously, thunderously
• (to a great degree): a lot, extremely
• (for the most part): in the main, principally; see also mostly
• Milyan, aminyl, amylin
Source: Wiktionary
Main"ly, adv. Etym: [From main strong. See Main strength.]
Definition: Very strongly; mightily; to a great degree. [Obs.] Bacon. Shak.
Main"ly, adv. Etym: [From main principal, chief.]
Definition: Principally; chiefly.
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
27 April 2024
(adjective) remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect; “a great crisis”; “had a great stake in the outcome”
According to Guinness World Records, the largest iced coffee is 14,228.1 liters and was created by Caffé Bene (South Korea), in Yangju, South Korea, on 17 July 2014. They poured iced black Americano on the giant cup that measured 3.3 meters tall and 2.62 meters wide.
