Mainer

[mey-ner]

noun

a native or inhabitant of the state of Maine.

Origin of Mainer

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

main

[meyn]

adjective

chief in size, extent, or importance; principal; leading: the company's main office; the main features of a plan.

sheer; utmost, as strength or force: to lift a stone by main force.

of or relating to a broad expanse: main sea.

Grammar. syntactically independent; capable of use in isolation.Compare dependent(def 4), independent(def 14), main clause.

Nautical.

of or relating to a mainmast.
noting or pertaining to a sail, yard, boom, etc., or to any rigging belonging to a mainmast.
noting any stay running aft and upward to the head of a mainmast: main topmast stay.

Obsolete.

having or exerting great strength or force; mighty.
having momentous or important results; significant.

noun

a principal pipe or duct in a system used to distribute water, gas, etc.

physical strength, power, or force: to struggle with might and main.

the chief or principal part or point: The main of their investments was lost during the war.

Literary. the open ocean; high sea: the bounding main.

the mainland.

Usually mains. a main course in a meal: The restaurant offers four mains: one chicken, two beef, and one fish.

adverb

South Midland U.S. (chiefly Appalachian ). very; exceedingly: The dogs treed a main big coon.

verb (used with or without object)

Slang. mainline.

Origin of main

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 for main

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

Antonyms for main

1. secondary, least. 8. weakness.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for mainer

prime, major, central, preeminent, leading, primary, vital, fundamental, particular, essential, special, entire, head, star, premier, chief, cardinal, capital, necessary, simple

Examples from the Web for mainer

Historical Examples of mainer

Tell us about it, asked Garry, as the three crowded around the old State of Mainer and shook hands with him heartily.
The Ranger Boys Outwit the Timber Thieves
Claude A. Labelle
It's no my fawt if they didna—we canna lose the saydel, Saunders; by no mainer of means.
The Cruise of the Midge (Vol. II of 2)
Michael Scott

British Dictionary definitions for mainer

Main

noun

a river in central and W Germany, flowing west through Würzburg and Frankfurt to the Rhine. Length: about 515 km (320 miles)

main

adjective (prenominal)

chief or principal in rank, importance, size, etc

sheer or utmost (esp in the phrase by main force)

nautical of, relating to, or denoting any gear, such as a stay or sail, belonging to the mainmast

obsolete significant or important

noun

a principal pipe, conduit, duct, or line in a system used to distribute water, electricity, etc

(plural)

the main distribution network for water, gas, or electricity
(as modifier)mains voltage

the chief or most important part or consideration

great strength or force (now chiefly in the phrase (with) might and main)

literary the open ocean

archaic short for Spanish Main

archaic short for mainland

in the main or for the main on the whole; for the most part

Word Origin for main

C13: from Old English mægen strength

main

noun

a throw of the dice in dice games

a cockfighting contest

a match in archery, boxing, etc

Word Origin for main

C16: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for mainer

main

Old English mægen (n.) "power, bodily strength, force, efficacy," from Proto-Germanic *maginam "power," suffixed form of PIE root *magh- (1) "be able, have power" (see may (v.)). 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 1540s for "continuous stretch of land or water." In Spanish Main the word is short for mainland and refers to the coast between Panama and Orinoco.

main

adj.

early 13c., "large, bulky, strong," from Old English mægen- "power, strength, force," used in compounds (e.g. mægensibb "great love," mægenbyrðen "heavy burden;" see main (n.)), probably also from or influenced by Old Norse megenn (adj.) "strong, powerful." Sense of "chief" is c.1400. Main course in the meal sense attested from 1829. Main man "favorite male friend; hero" is from 1967, U.S. black slang.

Idioms and Phrases with mainer

main

In addition to the idioms beginning with main

main drag
main squeeze

also see:

eye to the main chance
in the main
might and main