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Webster 1913 Edition

Main

Main

,
Noun.
[AS.
mægen
strength, power, force; akin to OHG.
magan
, Icel.
megin
, and to E.
may
, v. √103. See
May
,
Verb.
]
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

(mān)
,
Adj.
[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.
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.
Shakespeare
–
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.
[See
Main
,
Adj.
]
Very; extremely;
as,
main
heavy
.
“I'm main dry.”
Foote.
[Obs. or Low]

Webster 1828 Edition

Main

MAIN

,
Adj.
[L. magnus.]
1.
Principal; chief; that which has most power in producing an effect, or which is mostly regarded in prospect; as the main branch or tributary stream of a river; the main timbers of an edifice; a main design; a main object.
Our main interest is to be as happy as we can, and as long as possible.
2.
Mighty; vast; as the main abyss.
3.
Important; powerful.
This young prince, with a train of young noblemen and gentlemen, not with any main army, came over to take possession of his patrimony.

MAIN

,
Noun.
Strength; force; violent effort; as in the phrase, 'with might and main.'
1.
The gross; the bulk; the greater part.
The main of them may be reduced to language and an improvement in wisdom--
2.
The ocean; the great sea, as distinguished from rivers, bays, sounds and the like.
He fell, and struggling in the main--
3.
The continent, as distinguished from an isle. We arrived at Nantucket on Saturday, but did not reach the main till Monday. In this use of the word, land is omitted; main for main land.
4.
A hamper.
5.
A course; a duct.
For the main, in the main, for the most part; in the greatest part.

MAIN

,
Noun.
[L. manus, hand.] A hand at dice. We throw a merry main.
And lucky mains make people wise. [Not used.]
1.
A match at cock fighting.

Definition 2024

mäin

mäin

See also: main, Main, and -main

Finnish

Noun

mäin

  1. Instructive plural form of mäki.

Anagrams

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German mīn, from Proto-Germanic *mīnaz. Cognate with German mein, Dutch mijn, West Frisian myn, English my, mine, Icelandic minn.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mæːɪ̯n/
  • Rhymes: -æːɪn

Pronoun

mäin

  1. first-person singular possessive pronoun, nominative or accusative case, masculine or neuter object: my
    Dat ass mäin Hond — That is my dog
    Hien ass mäi Brudder — He is my brother

See also

Usage notes

  • As a result of the Eifel Rule, the final -n is lost when the following word begins with a consonant other than <d>, <h>, <n>, <t> or <z>.

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