main

main
[[t]me͟ɪn[/t]]
mains
1) ADJ: det ADJ The main thing is the most important one of several similar things in a particular situation.

...one of the main tourist areas of Amsterdam...

My main concern now is to protect the children...

What are the main differences and similarities between them?

Syn:
2) PHRASE: PHR with cl If you say that something is true in the main, you mean that it is generally true, although there may be exceptions.

Tourists are, in the main, sympathetic people...

In the main, children are taboo in the workplace.

Syn:
in general, on the whole
3) N-COUNT: usu pl, usu with supp The mains are the pipes which supply gas or water to buildings, or which take sewage away from them.

...the water supply from the mains...

The capital has been without mains water since Wednesday night.

4) N-PLURAL: usu the N The mains are the wires which supply electricity to buildings, or the place where the wires end inside the building. [mainly BRIT]

...amplifiers which plug into the mains...

Make sure plugs are disconnected from the mains...

It is mains or battery powered.


English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • main — main …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • MAIN — La main, organe de préhension et récepteur sensitif important, est l’apanage des Primates et de l’homme. En vérité, la main humaine possède une signification particulière, car elle se trouve à l’extrémité du membre supérieur qui est libéré des… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Main — Karte des Mainverlaufs Daten Gewässerkennzahl …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • main — Main, f. monosyl. Manus. l Espagnol et l Italien le disent de mesmes, Mano. La main dextre, Dextera, vel Dextra. La main senestre ou gauche, Laeua, Sinistra. Main chargée et pleine de quelque chose, Grauis manus. La main est toute engourdie et… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Main FM — Allgemeine Informationen Empfang früher: analog terrestrisch, Kabel …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Main — (m[=a]n), a. [From {Main} strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. {Magnate}.] 1. Very or extremely strong. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] That current with main fury ran. Daniel. [1913 Webster] 2. Vast; huge. [Obs.] The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Main — Main, n. [AS. m[ae]gen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. [root]103. See {May}, v.] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] [1913 Webster] There were in this battle of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Main — der; [e]s: rechter Nebenfluss des Rheins. * * * I Main   [dt. »Haupt «], die Hauptfunktion in einem C bzw. C++ Programm (C, C++). Jedes C bzw. C++ Programm muss genau eine solche Funktion enthalten, von der ausgehend der weitere Ablauf des Progr …   Universal-Lexikon

  • main — [mān] n. [ME < OE mægen, akin to ON magn: see MIGHT2] 1. physical strength; force; power: now only in with might and main, with all one s strength, with all one s strength 2. [< MAIN the adj.] the principal or most important part or point:… …   English World dictionary

  • main — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ chief in size or importance. ► NOUN 1) a principal water or gas pipe or electricity cable. 2) (the mains) Brit. public water, gas, or electricity supply through pipes or cables. 3) (the main) archaic or literary the open ocean …   English terms dictionary

  • main — (m[=a]n), n. [F. main hand, L. manus. See {Manual}.] 1. A hand or match at dice. Prior. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] 2. A stake played for at dice. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”