main

MAYN/meɪn/

Noun pluralmains

22 meanings of main

Practice

1
chiefadjective
Most important or biggest among a group of things.
Like the captain of a team: the one everyone follows.
The main reason for the delay was bad weather.
Our main goal is to keep everyone safe.
UsageSay the main reason or the main road.
Similarchief, principal, primary, major, key
Oppositeminor, secondary
Note
2
utility pipenouncountable
A big pipe or wire that carries water, gas, or electricity to homes and buildings.
Like the big road that smaller streets branch off from.
Workers dug up the street to repair a broken water main.
A burst main flooded the whole neighborhood overnight.
UsageSay a water main or a gas main.
Note
3
chief dishnouncolloquialabbreviationellipsis
Short for main course: the main dish of a meal, eaten after a starter if there is one.
For my main, I ordered grilled chicken with roasted vegetables.
She finished her main and saved room for dessert.
UsageSay for my main, I'll have the chicken.
4
noununcountable
The biggest or most important part of something.
Like the biggest slice of a pie: most of what is there.
In the main, the plan worked just as we had hoped.
The reviews were, in the main, kind to her first book.
UsageSay in the main to mean mostly.
Similarbulk
Note

Less common meanings

5
game characternouncountable
The game character or online account you use most, not your extra ones.
Like a favorite player on a sports team you always pick first.
Her main is a healer, so she always backs up the team.
I switched my main to a faster character last week.
UsageSay my main for the character you play most, and alt for the others.
Oppositealt
Note
6
play mostlyverbtransitive
To mostly play one character, side, or set of gear in a game.
Like always ordering the same favorite meal whenever you eat out.
I main the same archer in every match.
She mains a support character to help her teammates.
UsageSay I main the archer.
Note
7
big sailnounabbreviationellipsis
Short for mainsail: the main sail on a boat's main mast, usually its biggest sail.
The crew raised the main as soon as we left the harbor.
A sudden gust filled the main and pushed us forward.
UsageSailors raise the main.
Note
8
inject drugsverbslangtransitiveabbreviationellipsis
Short for mainline: to put a drug straight into a vein with a needle.
"Back then I mained heroin every day," he told the counselor.
He started to main heroin after years of smoking it.
Note
9
open seanounliteraryuncountable
The open ocean, far away from any land.
Like the wide open part of the ocean where you cannot see any shore.
The ship sailed out onto the main under a clear sky.
Sailors feared the storms that struck far out on the main.
Similarocean, sea, deep
Note
10
mightnounobsolete
Strength or force. Today it is only used in the phrase 'with might and main'.
Like pushing as hard as you possibly can with all your strength.
They pulled the rope with all their might and main.
She worked with might and main to finish before dark.
UsageSay with all their might and main.
Note
11
adjectivearchaic
Full and complete, done with all your strength.
Like pushing something with every bit of power you have.
He hauled the net aboard by main strength alone.
She forced the rusted gate open with main strength.
Note
12
very muchadverbdialectalBritish
Used to mean very much or extremely.
Like putting 'really' in front of a word to make it stronger.
She was main glad to see her old friend again.
It rained main hard all through the afternoon.
Similarvery, mighty, exceedingly
Note
13
adjectivedialectal
Very big or great.
"You've grown a main deal since last summer," Grandad said.
We had a main storm last night, and it knocked down two trees.
Similargreat, huge, big
Note
14
the continentnounarchaicUS
The big piece of land, not the islands near it.
Like the big land where most people live, not the small islands out at sea.
They rowed back to the main before the storm hit.
The higheſt land on the mayne, yet it was but low, we called Keales hill, and theſe vninhabited Iſles, Ruſſels Iſles.
1624, Anthony Bagnall, Nathanaell PowellHere, mayne means the mainland, as opposed to the small islands.
Note
15
verbobsolete
To change a small road into a big, main road.
The borough did not have an opportunity of conferring with the County Council, but the County Council requested particulars of district roads in the borough which the Council suggested should be mained.
1927, The Municipal Journal and Public Works Engineer, volume XXXVIHere, mained means made into main roads.
Note
16
dice roundnounobsolete
A single round or hand in a dice game.
Well-for the rest, will you throw a main?
1894, Stanley J. Weyman, Under the Red RobeHere, main means a round of dice, so it asks to play one game.
Note
17
called numbernounobsolete
In the old dice game hazard, a number from five to nine that a player calls before throwing.
He called his main before rolling the dice.
Euery man hath not beene brought vp in the knowledge of toungs. And it chanceth often to the reader, as it doth to diceplayers, that gaine more by the bye then by the maine.
1598, Richard Barckley, “To the Reader”Here, maine means the main throw in a dice game, the chief roll.
Note
18
dice stakenounobsolete
The money you bet on a throw of the dice.
[W]ere it good / To ſet the exact wealth of al our ſtates / Al at one caſt? to ſet ſo rich a maine / On the nice hazard of one doubtfull houre?
c. 1597, [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the FourthHere, maine means a bet or stake, the money risked on one throw.
Note
19
rooster fightnounobsolete
A sports contest, especially a fight between two roosters.
Note
20
grape basketnounobsolete
A basket used to collect grapes at harvest time.
A main [hamper] Corbis vindemiatorius
[1751, Robert Ainsworth, Samuel PatrickHere, main means a basket for gathering grapes.
Note
21
adjective
Connected to the biggest, most important mast on a sailing ship.
22
noun
A small shovel a banker uses to scoop up coins.

More uses

mainsthe public supply of electricity, water or gas

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of main apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 6, 8, 11–13, 15

From Middle English main, related to a noun meaning strength (see etymology 2), and to Old English words for strong.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Main derives from Middle English main. en.wiktionary.org
The adjective is related to the noun main meaning strength, covered under etymology 2. en.wiktionary.org
Main is related to Old English forms meaning strong. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2–5, 7, 9–10, 14

From Old English mæġen, meaning "strength," from an old Germanic word for strength and power.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Main derives from Old English mæġen. en.wiktionary.org
Old English mæġen means strength. en.wiktionary.org
Its Germanic ancestor meant strength and power. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 16–19

Origin uncertain, but probably from the adjective main.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The origin is uncertain, but the adjective main is the probable source. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 20

Origin uncertain, possibly from French main, meaning "hand."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The origin of main in the basket sense is uncertain, possibly French main. en.wiktionary.org
French main means hand. en.wiktionary.org