In the main

In the main
Main Main, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. [root]103. See {May}, v.] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] [1913 Webster]

There were in this battle of most might and main. --R. of Gl. [1913 Webster]

He 'gan advance, With huge force, and with importable main. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

2. The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing. [Obs., except in special uses.] [1913 Webster]

Resolved to rest upon the title of Lancaster as the main, and to use the other two . . . but as supporters. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

With might and main they chased the murderous fox. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Main Event — The term main event typically refers to the championship fight at a combat sport event, the most prestigious match on the card. The Main Event may also refer to: Contents 1 Film and television 2 Music …   Wikipedia

  • The Main Ingredient — may refer to: The Main Ingredient (band), an American soul and R B group The Main Ingredient (Pete Rock CL Smooth album), 1994 The Main Ingredient (Shirley Horn album), 1995 This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title.… …   Wikipedia

  • The massacre in the Main Temple — of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan is an episode in the Spanish conquest of Mexico which occurred on May 10, 1520.While Hernán Cortés was in Tenochtitlan, he heard about other Spaniards arriving on the coast ndash; Pánfilo de Narváez had come from …   Wikipedia

  • The Main Event (album) — Infobox Album | Name = The Main Event Type = Album Artist = Fingathing Released = 20 November, 2000 Recorded = ? Genre = Hip Hop Length = 54:55 Label = Grand Central Records GCCD108 Producer = Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5… …   Wikipedia

  • The main chance — Chance Chance (ch[.a]ns), n. [F. chance, OF. cheance, fr. LL. cadentia a allusion to the falling of the dice), fr. L. cadere to fall; akin to Skr. [,c]ad to fall, L. cedere to yield, E. cede. Cf. {Cadence}.] 1. A supposed material or psychical… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • For the main — Main Main, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. [root]103. See {May}, v.] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] [1913 Webster] There were in this… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • in the main — {adv. phr.}, {formal} In most cases; generally; usually. * /In the main, small boys and dogs are good friends./ * /In the main, the pupils did well on the test./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • in the main — {adv. phr.}, {formal} In most cases; generally; usually. * /In the main, small boys and dogs are good friends./ * /In the main, the pupils did well on the test./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • WWF The Main Event — The Main Event was a professional wrestling television series, a spin off of the show WWF Saturday Night s Main Event and occasionally aired on NBC on Friday nights. Only the first three The Main Event episodes were shown live on NBC. The final… …   Wikipedia

  • To splice the main brace — Splice Splice (spl[imac]s), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spliced} (spl[imac]st); p. pr. & vb. n. {Splicing}.] [D. splitsen, splitten; akin to G. splissen, Sw. splissa, Dan. splisse, and E. split; from the dividing or splitting the ends into separate… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”