mains

[ meynz ]

/ meɪnz /

noun (used with a singular verb) British Dialect.

the main or home farm of a manor, as where the ownerlives; manse.

Nearby words

mailsack, mailshot, maim, maiman, maimonides, mains, main body, main brace, main chance, main clause, main course

Origin of mains

1425–75; late Middle English, plural of main, aphetic variant of Middle English demain, demeine demesne

Definition for mains (2 of 4)

main

[ meyn ]

/ meɪn /

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.

Definition for mains (3 of 4)

main

[ meyn ]

/ meɪn /

noun

a cockfighting match.

Origin of main

1560–70; perhaps special use of main¹; compare main chance

Definition for mains (4 of 4)

Main

[ meyn; German mahyn ]

/ meɪn; German maɪn /

noun

a river in central and W Germany, flowing W from the Bohemian Forest in N Bavaria into the Rhine at Mainz. 305 miles (490 km) long.

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

Examples from the Web for mains

Average price per person, with starters, mains, and ample alcohol will run about 400 rand or roughly $60 per person.
Gal With a Suitcase|Jolie Hunt|July 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Prices range from $12 to 18 for starters and $24 to 32 for mains.
The Easygoing Flair of San Francisco|Jolie Hunt|April 10, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Well, next day I had my revenge at dice, and threw thirteen mains.
Catherine: A Story|William Makepeace Thackeray
The inhabitants of Perpignan were classed in three mains (major, middle, and minor).
Guilds in the Middle Ages|George Renard

Branches are taken off these mains and extended into the buildings requiring gas.
Elements of Plumbing|Samuel Dibble
Passing to another point of the same subject, Professor Riedler considers the best dimensions that should be given to the mains.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 803, May 23, 1891|Various
The mains will be restored to their former position when the subway structure is complete.
The New York Subway|Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for mains (1 of 3)

Main

/ (meɪn, German main) /

noun

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

British Dictionary definitions for mains (2 of 3)

main

/ (meɪn) /

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

British Dictionary definitions for mains (3 of 3)

main

/ (meɪn) /

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 mains (1 of 2)

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.

Word Origin and History for mains (1 of 2)

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 mains

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

mains

noun (used with a singular verb) British Dialect.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of mains

Definition for mains (2 of 4)

main

adjective

noun

adverb

verb (used with or without object)

Origin of main

Definition for mains (3 of 4)

main

noun

Origin of main

Definition for mains (4 of 4)

Main

noun

Examples from the Web for mains

British Dictionary definitions for mains (1 of 3)

Main

noun

British Dictionary definitions for mains (2 of 3)

main

adjective (prenominal)

noun

Word Origin for main

British Dictionary definitions for mains (3 of 3)

main

noun

Word Origin for main

Word Origin and History for mains (1 of 2)

main

Word Origin and History for mains (1 of 2)

main

Idioms and Phrases with mains

main