mains
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of mains
1425–75; late Middle English, plural of main, aphetic variant of Middle English demain, demeine demesne
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite recent well-publicised problems around burst water mains, water leakage has actually been cut by 43% since 1989 according to Ofwat, the water regulatory body for England and Wales.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
Hopes for a deal sent both mains sharply lower, with international benchmark Brent losing more than eight percent on Monday and WTI more than seven percent.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Among the mains, the pan-seared half chicken with smoked red curry and purple sticky rice was the standout.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
The area is so remote they do not have mains electricity, although farms further down the valley are being connected, in a project due to finish in summer 2026.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
With all the county’s water mains on emergency shutdown, and endless glitches in the computers trying to redirect what water is left, he’s been transporting water manually to high-priority facilities.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
