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In the main

 - 3 dictionary results

main

1  [meyn]
Use In the main in a Sentence
–adjective
1. chief in size, extent, or importance; principal; leading: the company's main office; the main features of a plan.
2. sheer; utmost, as strength or force: to lift a stone by main force.
3. of or pertaining to a broad expanse: main sea.
4. Grammar. syntactically independent; capable of use in isolation. Compare dependent (def. 4), independent (def. 14), main clause.
5. Nautical.
a. of or pertaining to a mainmast.
b. noting or pertaining to a sail, yard, boom, etc., or to any rigging belonging to a mainmast.
c. noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a mainmast: main topmast stay.
6. Obsolete.
a. having or exerting great strength or force; mighty.
b. having momentous or important results; significant.
–noun
7. a principal pipe or duct in a system used to distribute water, gas, etc.
8. physical strength, power, or force: to struggle with might and main.
9. the chief or principal part or point: The main of their investments was lost during the war.
10. Literary. the open ocean; high sea: the bounding main.
11. the mainland.
–adverb
12. South Midland U.S. (chiefly Appalachian). very; exceedingly: The dogs treed a main big coon.
–verb (used without object), verb (used with object)
13. Slang. mainline.
—Idiom
14. in the main, for the most part; chiefly: In the main, the novel was dull reading.
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME meyn, mayn strength, power, OE mægen, c. ON megin(n), megn strength; (adj.) ME mayn, partly < ON megenn, megn strong, partly independent use of OE mægen (n.) taken as an adj. in compounds, as in mægen-weorc, lit., work of might

Synonyms:
1. cardinal, prime, paramount, primary, capital. 2. pure, direct. 7. conduit. 8. might.

Antonyms:
1. secondary, least. 8. weakness.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

main  (n.)
O.E. mægen (n.) "power, strength, force," from P.Gmc. *maginam- "power," from *mag- "be able, have power" (see may). Original sense preserved in phrase with might and main. Meaning "principal channel in a utility system" is first recorded 1727 in main drain; Used since 1548 for "continuous stretch of land or water."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

in the main

For the most part, chiefly, as in It was an excellent conference in the main. [First half of 1600s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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