COBUILD frequency band
main
1.adjective B1
The main thing is the most important one of several similar things in a particular situation.
...one of the main tourist areas of Amsterdam.
My main concern now is to protect the children.
What are the main differences and similarities between them?
Synonyms: chief, leading, major, prime More Synonyms of main
2.
See in the main
3.countable noun [usually plural]
4.plural noun
More Synonyms of main
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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British English pronunciation
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COBUILD frequency band
main in British English 1
adjective (prenominal)
1.
chief or principal in rank, importance, size, etc
2.
sheer or utmost (esp in the phrase by main force)
3. nautical
of, relating to, or denoting any gear, such as a stay or sail, belonging to the mainmast
4. obsolete
significant or important
noun
5.
a principal pipe, conduit, duct, or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, etc
6.(plural)
a.
the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity
b.
(as modifier)
mains voltage
7.
the chief or most important part or consideration
8.
great strength or force (now chiefly in the phrase (with) might and main)
9. literary
the open ocean
10. archaic short for Spanish Main
11. archaic short for mainland
12. See in the main
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C13: from Old English mægen strength
COBUILD frequency band
Main in American English
river in SW Germany, flowing west into the Rhine at Mainz: 307 mi (494 km)
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
G < Gaul Moenus < IE *moin-, river name < base *mei-, to go, wander > L meare, to go
COBUILD frequency band
main in American English
noun
1.
physical strength; force; power
now only in with might and main, with all one's strength
2.
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-FASHIONED, Poetic
the high, or open, sea; ocean
5. Archaic
the mainland
see also Spanish Main
6. Obsolete
any broad expanse
7. Nautical
a.
mainmast
b.
mainsail
adjective
8. Obsolete
strong; powerful
9.
chief in size, extent, importance, etc.; principal; leading; specif., designating a large central unit on which subsidiaries or branches depend
the main post office
10.
of, near, or connected with the mainmast or mainsail
11. British, Dialectal
remarkable; considerable
12. Obsolete
designating a broad expanse of land, sea, or space
SIMILAR WORDS: chief
Idioms:
by main force (or strength)
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME < OE mægen, akin to ON magn: see might1
COBUILD frequency band
main in American English 1
(mein)
adjective
1.
chief in size, extent, or importance; principal; leading
the company's main office
the main features of a plan
2.
sheer; utmost, as strength or force
to lift a stone by main force
3.
of or pertaining to a broad expanse
main sea
4.Grammar
syntactically independent; capable of use in isolation
Compare dependent (sense 4), independent (sense 14), main clause
5.Nautical
a.
of or pertaining to a mainmast
b.
noting or pertaining to a sail, yard, boom, etc., or to any rigging belonging to a mainmast
c.
noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a mainmast
main topmast stay
6.obsolete
a.
having or exerting great strength or force; mighty
b.
having momentous or important results; significant
noun
7.
a principal pipe or duct in a system used to distribute water, gas, etc
8.
physical strength, power, or force
to struggle with might and main
9.
the chief or principal part or point
The main of their investments was lost during the war
10.literary
the open ocean; high sea
the bounding main
11.
the mainland
12. See in the main
adverb
13.(in South Midland US dialect, chiefly in Appalachia)
very; exceedingly
The dogs treed a main big coon
intransitive verb or transitive verb
14.slang mainline
SYNONYMS 1. cardinal, prime, paramount, primary, capital. 2. pure, direct. 7. conduit. 8. might.ANTONYMS 1. secondary, least. 8. weakness.
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[bef. 900; (n.) ME meyn, mayn strength, power, OE mægen, c. ON megin(n), megn strength; (adj.) ME mayn, partly ‹ ON megenn, megn strong, partly independent use of OE mægen (n.) taken as an adj. in compounds, as in mægen-weorc, lit., work of might]
COBUILD frequency band
main in American English 2
(mein)
noun
a cockfighting match
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1560–70; perh. special use of main1; cf. main chance]
