That which thou aright Believest so main to our success, I bring.
Milton.
By main force, by mere force or sheer force; by violent effort; as, to
subdue insurrection by main force.
That Maine which by main force Warwick did win.
Shak.
-- By main strength, by sheer strength; as, to lift a heavy weight by
main strength. -- Main beam (Steam Engine), working beam. -- Main boom
(Naut.), the boom which extends the foot of the mainsail in a fore and
aft vessel. -- Main brace. (a) (Mech.) The brace which resists the
chief strain. Cf. Counter brace. (b) (Naut.) The brace attached to the
main yard. -- Main center (Steam Engine), a shaft upon which a working
beam or side lever swings. -- Main chance. See under Chance. -- Main
couple (Arch.), the principal truss in a roof. -- Main deck (Naut.),
the deck next below the spar deck; the principal deck. -- Main keel
(Naut.), the principal or true keel of a vessel, as distinguished from
the false keel.
Syn. -- Principal; chief; leading; cardinal; capital.
Main, adv. [See Main, a.] Very; extremely; as, main heavy. "I'm main
dry." Foote. [Obs. or Low]
Maine (?), n. One of the New England States.
Maine law, any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating
beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.
Main`-gauche" (mN`gsh"), n. [F., the left hand.] (Ancient Armor) The
dagger held in the left hand, while the rapier is held in the right; --
used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.
Main"-ham`per (?), n. [F. main hand (see Main a hand at dice) + E.
hamper.] A hamper to be carried in the hand; a hand basket used in
carrying grapes to the press.
Main"land` (?), n. The continent; the principal land; -- opposed to
island, or peninsula. Dryden.
After the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the
mainland.
Hawthorne.
Main"ly (?), adv. [From main strong. See Main strength.] Very strongly;
mightily; to a great degree. [Obs.] Bacon. Shak.
Main"ly, adv. [From main principal, chief.] Principally; chiefly.
Main"mast` (?), n. (Naut.) The principal mast in a ship or other
vessel.
Main"or (?), n. [Anglo-Norm. meinoure, OF. manuevre. See Maneuver.] (O.
Eng. Law) A thing stolen found on the person of the thief.
A thief was said to be "taken with the mainor," when he was taken with
the thing stolen upon him, that is, in his hands. Wharton. Bouvier.
Main"per*na*ble (?), a. [OF. main hand + pernable, for prenable, that
may be taken, pregnable. See Mainpernor.] (Law) Capable of being
admitted to give surety by mainpernors; able to be mainprised.
Main"per*nor (?), n. [OF. main hand + pernor, for preneor, a taker, F.
preneur, fr. prendre to take.] (Law) A surety, under the old writ of
mainprise, for a prisoner's appearance in court at a day.
Mainpernors differ from bail in that a man's bail may imprison or
surrender him before the stipulated day of appearance; mainpernors can
do neither; they are bound to produce him to answer all charges
whatsoever. Blackstone.
Main"pin (?), n. (Vehicles) A kingbolt.
Main"prise (?), n. [F. main hand + prise a taking, fr. prendre, p. p.
pris to take, fr. L. prehendere, prehensum.] (Law) (a) A writ directed
to the sheriff, commanding him to take sureties, called mainpernors,
for the prisoner's appearance, and to let him go at large. This writ is
now obsolete. Wharton. (b) Deliverance of a prisoner on security for
his appearance at a day.
Main"prise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mainprised (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Mainprising.] (Law) To suffer to go at large, on his finding sureties,
or mainpernors, for his appearance at a day; -- said of a prisoner.
Mains (mnz), n. [Scot. See Manse.] The farm attached to a mansion
house. [Scot.]
Main"sail` (mn"sl`), n. (Naut.) The principal sail in a ship or other
vessel.
[They] hoised up the mainsail to the wind.
Acts xxvii. 40.
The mainsail of a ship is extended upon a yard attached to the
mainmast, and that of a sloop or schooner upon the boom.
Main"sheet` (?), n. (Naut.) One of the ropes by which the mainsail is
hauled aft and trimmed.
Main"spring` (?), n. The principal or most important spring in a piece
of mechanism, especially the moving spring of a watch or clock or the
spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence: The chief or most
powerful motive; the efficient cause of action.
Main"stay` (?), n. 1. (Naut.) The stay extending from the foot of the
foremast to the maintop.