mainest
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.
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.
00:10
Mainest
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
adverb
Idioms 12.
South Midland U.S. (chiefly Appalachian) . very; exceedingly: The dogs treed a main big coon.
14.
in the main, for the most part; chiefly: In the main, the novel was dull reading.
Origin:
before 900; (noun) Middle English meyn, mayn strength, power, Old English mægen, cognate with Old Norse megin(n), megn strength; (adj.) Middle English mayn, partly < Old Norse megenn, megn strong, partly independent use of Old English mægen (noun) taken as an adj. in compounds, as in mægen-weorc, literally, work of might
before 900; (noun) Middle English meyn, mayn strength, power, Old English mægen, cognate with Old Norse megin(n), megn strength; (adj.) Middle English mayn, partly < Old Norse megenn, megn strong, partly independent use of Old English mægen (noun) taken as an adj. in compounds, as in mægen-weorc, literally, work of might
Synonyms
1. cardinal, prime, paramount, primary, capital. 2. pure, direct. 7. conduit. 8. might.
1. cardinal, prime, paramount, primary, capital. 2. pure, direct. 7. conduit. 8. might.
Antonyms
1. secondary, least. 8. weakness.
1. secondary, least. 8. weakness.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To mainest
Collins
World English Dictionary
main1 (meɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | chief or principal in rank, importance, size, etc |
| 2. | sheer or utmost (esp in the phrase by main force) |
| 3. | nautical of, relating to, or denoting any gear, such as a stay or sail, belonging to the mainmast |
| 4. | obsolete significant or important |
| —n | |
| 5. | a principal pipe, conduit, duct, or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, etc |
| 6. | (plural) |
| a. the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity | |
| b. (as modifier): mains voltage | |
| 7. | the chief or most important part or consideration |
| 8. | great strength or force (now chiefly in the phrase (with) might and main) |
| 9. | literary the open ocean |
| 10. | archaic short for Spanish Main |
| 11. | archaic short for mainland |
| 12. | in the main, for the main on the whole; for the most part |
| [C13: from Old English mægen strength] | |
| main2 (meɪn) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a throw of the dice in dice games |
| 2. | a cockfighting contest |
| 3. | a match in archery, boxing, etc |
| [C16: of unknown origin] | |
| Main (meɪn, German main) | |
| —n | |
| a river in central and W Germany, flowing west through Würzburg and Frankfurt to the Rhine. Length: about 515 km (320 miles) | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
main
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."
main
early 13c., "large, bulky, strong," from O.E. mægen- "power, strength, force," used in compounds (see main (n.)), probably infl. by O.N. megenn (adj.) "strong, powerful." Sense of "chief" is c.1400. In Spanish Main the word is short for mainland and refers to the coast
between Panama and Orinoco. Main man "favorite male friend, hero" is from 1967, U.S. black slang.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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