main1

 
Pronunciation: /meɪn/

adjective

[attributive]
  • chief in size or importance: a main road the main problem is one of resources

noun

  • 1a principal pipe carrying water or gas to buildings, or taking sewage from them: [with modifier]: a faulty gas main
  • a principal cable carrying electricity.
  • (the mains) British the source of public water, gas, or electricity supply through pipes or cables: the camcorder can be run directly off the mains [as modifier]: switch off the mains supply
  • 2 (the main) archaic or literary the open ocean.

Phrases

by main force

through sheer strength: we will prevail not by main force but by negotiation

in the main

on the whole: we must remember that in the main we are thinking about these designs as decoration

Origin:

Middle English: from Old English mægen 'physical force', reinforced by Old Norse meginn, megn 'strong, powerful', both from a Germanic base meaning 'have power'