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main


  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Main  \Main\,  n.  [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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Main  \Main\,  n.  [AS.  m[ae]gen  strength,  power,  force;  akin  to 
  OHG.  magan,  Icel.  megin,  and  to  E.  may  v.  ?.  See  {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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Main  \Main\,  adv  [See  {Main},  a.] 
  Very  extremely;  as  main  heavy.  ``I'm  main  dry.''  --Foote. 
  [Obs.  or  Low] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Main  \Main\,  a.  [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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  main 
  adj  1:  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"  [syn:  {chief(a)},  {main(a)},  {primary(a)}, 
  {principal(a)}] 
  2:  (grammar)  of  a  clause;  able  to  stand  alone  syntactically  as 
  a  complete  sentence;  "the  main  (or  independent)  clause  in 
  a  complex  sentence  has  at  least  a  subject  and  a  verb" 
  [syn:  {independent},  {main(a)}]  [ant:  {dependent}] 
  3:  of  force;  of  the  greatest  possible  intensity;  "by  main 
  strength"  [syn:  {main(a)}] 
  n  1:  any  very  large  body  of  (salt)  water  [syn:  {briny}] 
  2:  a  principal  pipe  in  a  system  that  distributes  water  or  gas 
  or  electricity  or  that  collects  sewage 




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