MAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does main mean? 

• MAIN (noun)
  The noun MAIN has 2 senses:

1. any very large body of (salt) water

2. a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage

  Familiarity information: MAIN used as a noun is rare.

• MAIN (adjective)
  The adjective MAIN has 3 senses:

1. most important element

2. (of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence

3. of force; of the greatest possible intensity

  Familiarity information: MAIN used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any very large body of (salt) water

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

briny; main

Hypernyms ("main" is a kind of...):

body of water; water (the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean))

Meronyms (parts of "main"):

high sea; international waters (the open seas of the world outside the territorial waters of any nation)

offing (the part of the sea that can be seen from the shore and is beyond the anchoring area)

territorial waters (the waters surrounding a nation and its territories over which that nation exercises sovereign jurisdiction)

Holonyms ("main" is a part of...):

hydrosphere (the watery layer of the earth's surface; includes water vapor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("main" is a kind of...):

pipage; pipe; piping (a long tube made of metal or plastic that is used to carry water or oil or gas etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "main"):

electric main (a main that distributes electricity)

gas main (a main that distributes gas)

sewer line; sewer main (a main in a sewage system)

water main (main (a pipe or conduit) for conveying water)

Holonyms ("main" is a part of...):

base; infrastructure (the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area)

• MAIN (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Most important element

Synonyms:

chief; main; master; primary; principal

Context example:

a master switch

Similar:

important; of import (of great significance or value)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence

Synonyms:

independent; main

Context example:

the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb

Domain category:

grammar (the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of force; of the greatest possible intensity

Context example:

by main strength

Similar:

intense (possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree)

 Context examples 

Anemia has three main causes: blood loss, lack of red blood cell production, and high rates of red blood cell destruction.

(Anemia, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Most aneurysms occur in the aorta, the main artery that runs from the heart through the chest and abdomen.

(Aneurysms, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Medicines and surgery are the two main treatments.

(Aortic Aneurysm, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

There are three main types of amyloidosis: • Primary - with no known cause • Secondary - caused by another disease, including some types of cancer • Familial - passed down through genes

(Amyloidosis, NIH)

That is his main fault, but on the whole he’s a good worker.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The questionnaire contains 24 items (and a number of sub-items within the 24 main items) with a range of preset answers that are assigned points based on performance.

(Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Inventory Mild Cognitive Impairment Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

The questionnaire contains 19 items (and a number of sub-items within the 19 main items) with a range of preset answers that are assigned points based on performance.

(Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living Inventory Severe Dementia Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

He was standing by the main rigging, a few feet away from me.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The main symptom is pain in the abdomen, often on the right side.

(Appendicitis, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

The main structural component of the LIVER.

(Murine Hepatocytes, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)