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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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