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mainstay

 - 2 dictionary results

main⋅stay

[meyn-stey]
–noun
1. Nautical. the stay that secures the mainmast forward.
2. a person or thing that acts as a chief support or part: Coffee is the mainstay of the country's economy.

Origin:
1475–85; main 1 + stay 2


2. pillar, bulwark, anchor, prop.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To mainstay
main·stay   (mān'stā')   
n.  
  1. A chief support: Agriculture is a mainstay of the economy.

  2. Nautical A strong rope that serves to steady and support the mainmast of a sailing vessel.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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