main

UK:^*^*UK and possibly other pronunciations'main': /ˈmeɪn/; 'Main': English: /meɪn/, German: /main/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/meɪn/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling'main': (mān); 'Main': (mān; Ger. mīn)

main¹ /meɪn/USA pronunciation adj. [before a noun]

chief in size, extent, or importance:He had the main part in a play.
Grammar(in a sentence) of or relating to the clause that can stand by itself;
independent:In the sentence I'll see you when I get home, the main clause is I'll see you.

Civil Engineeringa principal pipe in a system used to carry and send water, gas, etc.

Idioms

in the main, most importantly:In the main, she has proposed a very good plan.

with might and main, with strength or force.

main•ly, adv. : He got rich mainly from government contracts.

main¹ (mān),USA pronunciation adj.

chief in size, extent, or importance;
principal;
leading:the company's main office; the main features of a plan.
sheer;
utmost, as strength or force:to lift a stoneby main force.
of or pertaining to a broad expanse:main sea.
Grammarsyntactically independent;
capable of use in isolation. Cf. dependent (def. 4), independent (def. 14), main clause.
[Naut.]
- Nauticalof or pertaining to a mainmast.
- Nauticalnoting or pertaining to a sail, yard, boom, etc., or to any rigging belonging to a mainmast.
- Nauticalnoting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a mainmast:main topmast stay.
[Obs.]
- having or exerting great strength or force;
  mighty.
- having momentous or important results;
  significant.

Civil Engineeringa principal pipe or duct in a system used to distribute water, gas, etc.
physical strength, power, or force:to struggle with might and main.
the chief or principal part or point:The main of their investments was lost during the war.
[Literary.]the open ocean;
high sea:the bounding main.
the mainland.
Idiomsin the main, for the most part;
chiefly:In the main, the novel was dull reading.

adv.

Dialect Terms[South Midland U.S.](chiefly Appalachian). very;
exceedingly:The dogs treed a main big coon.

v.i., v.t.

Old Norse megenn, megn strong, partly independent use of Old English mægen (noun, nominal) taken as an adjective, adjectival in compounds, as in mægen-weorc, literally, work of might
bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English meyn, mayn strength, power, Old English mægen, cognate with Old Norse megin(n), megn strength; (adjective, adjectival) Middle English mayn, partly

main² (mān),USA pronunciation n.

Main (mān; Ger. mīn),USA pronunciation n.

Place Namesa river in central and W Germany, flowing W from the Bohemian Forest in N Bavaria into the Rhine at Mainz. 305 mi. (490 km) long.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

main /meɪn/ adj (prenominal)

chief or principal in rank, importance, size, etc
sheer or utmost (esp in the phrase by main force)
of, relating to, or denoting any gear, such as a stay or sail, belonging to the mainmast

a principal pipe, conduit, duct, or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, etc
(plural)
- the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity
- (as modifier): mains voltage
the chief or most important part or consideration
great strength or force (now chiefly in the phrase (with) might and main)
literary the open ocean
archaic
archaic
in the main, for the main ⇒ on the whole; for the most part

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old English mægen strength

main /meɪn/ n

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin

Main /meɪn; German: main/ n

a river in central and W Germany, flowing west through Würzburg and Frankfurt to the Rhine. Length: about 515 km (320 miles)

'main' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

Collocations: the main reason [for, why, she], UK: [flip, shut off] the mains switch, a [gas, water, supply] main, more...

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