The Collaborative International Dictionary
Main \Main\ (m[=a]n), a. [From Main strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. Magnate.]
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Very or extremely strong. [Obs.]
That current with main fury ran.
--Daniel. Vast; huge. [Obs.] ``The main abyss.''
--Milton.Unqualified; absolute; entire; sheer. [Obs.] ``It's a man untruth.''
--Sir W. Scott.-
Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc.; as, the main reason to go; the main proponent.
Our main interest is to be happy as we can.
--Tillotson. -
Important; necessary. [Obs.] 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.
(Mech.) The brace which resists the chief strain. Cf. Counter brace.
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(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.
Usage examples of "main brace".
It is not enough to know what Charlie Noble does for a living, or what makes the wildcat wild, or which BatDiv failed to splice the main brace and why-nor to learn matrix algebra and navigation and ballistics and aerodynamics and nuclear engineering.
It is not enough to know what Charlie Noble does for a living, or what makes the wildcat wild, or which BatDiv failed to splice the main brace and why - nor to learn matrix algebra and navigation and ballistics and aerodynamics and nuclear engineering.
Before the day was over, a jury-foremast had been got up, and sail having been put upon it, the ship was steered with greater ease and safety--the main brace had been spliced to cheer up the exhausted crew, and the hammocks were piped down.
Jack gave the order to splice the main brace, and turning to Pullings he said, 'The painting and titivating we must leave until we are at sea, and of course she don't look pretty.