main

main  (mn)

adj.

1. Most important; principal. See Synonyms at chief.

2. Exerted to the utmost; sheer: by main strength.

3. Nautical Connected to or located near the mainmast: a main skysail.

4. Grammar Of, relating to, or being the principal clause or verb of a complex sentence.

5. Obsolete Of or relating to a continuous area or stretch, as of land or water.

n.

1. The chief or largest part: His ideas are, in the main, impractical.

2. The principal pipe or conduit in a system for conveying water, gas, oil, or other utility.

3. Physical strength: fought with might and main.

4. A mainland.

5. The open ocean.

6. Nautical

a. A mainsail.

b. A mainmast.

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[Middle English, from Old English mægen, strength; see magh- in Indo-European roots.]

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main

Adjective

chief or principal

Noun

1. a principal pipe or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, or gas

2. mains the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity

3. great strength or force: with might and main

4. Literary the open ocean

5. in the main on the whole [Old English mægen strength]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	main - any very large body of (salt) water briny body of water, water - the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean); "they invaded our territorial waters"; "they were sitting by the water's edge" high sea, international waters - the open seas of the world outside the territorial waters of any nation hydrosphere - the watery layer of the earth's surface; includes water vapor offing - the part of the sea that can be seen from the shore and is beyond the anchoring area; "there was a ship in the offing" territorial waters - the waters surrounding a nation and its territories over which that nation exercises sovereign jurisdiction
	2.	main - a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage electric main - a main that distributes electricity gas main - a main that distributes gas infrastructure, base - the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area; "the industrial base of Japan" pipage, pipe, piping - a long tube made of metal or plastic that is used to carry water or oil or gas etc. sewer line, sewer main - a main in a sewage system water main - main (a pipe or conduit) for conveying water
Adj.	1.	main - 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" chief, master, principal, primary important, of import - of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day"
	2.	main - (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" independent grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics) dependent, subordinate - (of a clause) unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence; "a subordinate (or dependent) clause functions as a noun or adjective or adverb within a sentence"
	3.	main - of force; of the greatest possible intensity; "by main strength" intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense"

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main

adjective 1. chief, leading, major, prime, head, special, central, particular, necessary, essential, premier, primary, vital, critical, crucial, supreme, outstanding, principal, cardinal, paramount, foremost, predominant, pre-eminent, must-have << OPPOSITE minor

plural noun 2. pipeline, channel, pipe, conduit, duct

plural noun 3. cable, line, electricity supply, mains supply in the main on the whole, generally, mainly, mostly, in general, for the most part

Translations

main [meɪn] adj → principal, mayor

n (pipe) → cañería principal or maestra;

(US) → red f eléctrica;

the mains (BRIT) (ELEC) → la red eléctrica;

in the main → en general

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main [meɪn] adj → principal(e)

n (= pipe) → conduite principale, canalisation f;

the mains (Elec) → le secteur;

the main thing → l'essentiel m;

in the main → dans l'ensemble

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main [meɪn] adj → Haupt-, wichtigste(r, s);

(door, entrance, meal) → Haupt-

n → Hauptleitung f;

the mains npl (Elec) → das Stromnetz;

(gas, water) → die Hauptleitung;

in the main → im Großen und Ganzen

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main [meɪn] adj → principale

n (pipe) → conduttura principale;

the mains (ELEC) → la linea principale;

mains operated adj → che funziona a elettricità;

in the main → nel complesso, nell'insieme