main

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.

   The main office is actually one of the smaller rooms.

2. 2
   adj

   Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part.

   main timbers

3. 3
   adj

   Full, sheer, undivided.

   […] I shall never forget the diabolical sneer which writhed Rashleigh's wayward features, as I was forced from the apartment by the main strength of two of these youthful Titans.

4. 4
   adj

   Great in size or degree; important, powerful, strong, vast.

   And now that Current with main Fury ran / (The Stop remov'd that did the Courſe defend) / Unto the full of Miſchief, that began / T' an univerſal Ruin to extend; […]

5. 5
   adv

   Exceedingly, extremely, greatly, mightily, very, very much.

   Suck[y]. A Draught of Ale, Friend, for I'm main dry. / Pen[elope]. Fie! fie! Niece! Is that Liquor for a young Lady? Don't disparage your Family and Breeding!

6. 6
   verb

   To mainly play a specific character or side, or with specific equipment, during a game.

   He mains the same character as me in that game.

7. 7
   verb

   To convert (a road) into a main or primary road.

   When a rural district council considers that a highway in its district ought to become a main road by reason of its being a medium of communication between great towns, or a thoroughfare to a railway station, or otherwise, it may apply to the county council for an order "maining" the road under s. 15 of the Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act, 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c. 77), as amended by s. 3 (viii.) of the Local Government Act, 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 41), and the county council may make an order accordingly.

8. 8
   noun

   That which is chief or principal; the chief or main portion; the bulk, the greater part, gross.

   Antiochus […] thought it a proper time for him to attempt the recovery of Syria; and Hermias his prime Miniſter preſſed hard for his going in perſon to this war, contrary to the Opinion of Epigenes his General; who thought it chiefly concerned him to ſuppreſs the Rebellion of Alexander and Molon in the East; and therefore adviſed him to march immediately in perſon with the main of his Army for the ſubduing of thoſe Rebels, before they ſhould gather greater ſtrength in the revolted Provinces againſt him.

Etymology

* As a Scottish surname, reduced from the North Germanic name Magnus. Also from the adjective main. * As a Scottish, English, French and Norman surname, from personal names derived from Proto-West Germanic *magan (“to be able”), similar to Mein. * As a Scottish, English and Norman surname, from the French province of Maine. Compare Mansell. * As a Scottish, English, and Norman surname, from the Anglo-Norman adjective maine (“great, large”), from Old French magne. * As a Scottish, English, Norman and French surname, from the noun main (“hand”).