Main Street
The proper name of the main street of any of many villages, towns, or small cities, especially in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and some parts of Scotland.
Near-synonym: High Street (esp. UK)
main
/meɪn/
noun 12adj 5name 4verb 3adv 1
Collocations
8(noun.)
ADJ
gas, water
burst, leaking
The city had to shut down the leaking main beneath the street for repairs.
VERB + MAIN
lay
The construction crew laid the water main under the street last month.
MAIN + VERB
serve sth
The main water pipeline supplies fresh water to the entire city.
explode, leak
MAIN + NOUN
electricity, gas, water
The village relied on a generator because it had no mains water supply.
PREP
at the ~s
If there's a leak in your house, you should shut off the water at the mains immediately.
on the ~s
The cottage doesn't have running water because it isn't on the mains.
Definitions
adj
1
Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.
The main office is actually one of the smaller rooms.
Religion direct us rather to ſecure inward peace than outward eaſe, to be more careful to avoid everlaſting and intolerable torment than ſhort and light afflictions which are but for a moment; […] In a word, our main intereſt is to be as happy as we can, and as long as is poſſible; and if we be caſt into ſuch circumſtances, that we muſt be either in part and for a time or elſe wholly and always miſerable, the beſt wiſdom is to chuſe the greateſt and moſt laſting happiness, but the leaſt and ſhorteſt miſery.
2
Chief, most important, or principal in extent, size, or strength; consisting of the largest part.
main timbers
main branch of a river
3
Full, sheer, undivided.
[…] I shall never forget the diabolical sneer which writhed Rashleigh's wayward features, as I was forced from the apartment by the main strength of two of these youthful Titans.
Wounded and overthrown, the Britons continued their resistance, clung round the legs of the Norman steeds, and cumbered their advance; while their brethren, thrusting with pikes, proved every joint and crevice of the plate and mail, or grappling with the men-at-arms, strove to pull them from their horses by main force, or beat them down with their bills and Welch hooks.
4
Big; angry.
5
Belonging to or connected with the principal mast in a vessel.
adv
1
Exceedingly, extremely, greatly, mightily, very, very much.
Suck[y]. A Draught of Ale, Friend, for I'm main dry. / Pen[elope]. Fie! fie! Niece! Is that Liquor for a young Lady? Don't disparage your Family and Breeding!
Why, it's main jolly to be sure, and all that so fair.
verb
1
Ellipsis of mainline (“to inject (a drug) directly into a vein”).
2
To mainly play a specific character or side, or with specific equipment, during a game.
He mains the same character as me in that game.
What race do you main and what is your favourite race to beat?
3
To convert (a road) into a main or primary road.
When a rural district council considers that a highway in its district ought to become a main road by reason of its being a medium of communication between great towns, or a thoroughfare to a railway station, or otherwise, it may apply to the county council for an order "maining" the road under s. 15 of the Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act, 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c. 77), as amended by s. 3 (viii.) of the Local Government Act, 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 41), and the county council may make an order accordingly.
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.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — any very large body of (salt) water
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
main man
One's closest male friend.
Thanks to Aaron (my main man) Priest...
main character
A person who becomes a focal point of discussion on a social media platform (particularly Twitter).
In any book, the main character is used to provide perspective, personality, and information relevant to the story.
main event
The principal match, bout or contest.
Example Bank
601
The main office is actually one of the smaller rooms.
Wiktionary02
Religion direct us rather to ſecure inward peace than outward eaſe, to be more careful to avoid everlaſting and intolerable torment than ſhort and light afflictions which are but for a moment; […] In
Wiktionary03
With some of it on the south and more of it on the north of the great main thoroughfare that connects Aldgate and the East India Docks, St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest
Wiktionary04
Suck[y]. A Draught of Ale, Friend, for I'm main dry. / Pen[elope]. Fie! fie! Niece! Is that Liquor for a young Lady? Don't disparage your Family and Breeding!
Wiktionary05
Why, it's main jolly to be sure, and all that so fair.
Wiktionary06
It was main hot, and the windy was open, and I hear that old song comin’ out as clear as clear […]
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, main is marked as archaic, slang, obsolete, informal, British. Watch for register when choosing this word.
Your note
not saved0 chars