Etymology: Branch I. represents the original word, which had in Old English the senses ‘physical or mental strength or power; efficacy; good deed, miracle; army’, and is cognate with Old Saxon megin , Old High German magan , megin (Middle High German magen , mān , main ), Old Icelandic magn , megin , megn , Old Swedish mæghin (Swedish †mägen ), all < a Germanic base represented also in may v.¹, might n.¹ Branch II. represents the use of main adj.² as a noun.

Etymology: Probably < main adj.² Originally a term in the game of hazard, although attested slightly earlier in figurative use, the word denoted the number thrown or called at the beginning of the game, and which resulted in a win if thrown by a caster (the current player): compare nick n.¹ 9a. The probable sense is thus that the ‘main’ is the primary throw, or the number of first importance: compare by n.² Compare main chance n.For the folk etymology < French main hand, see quot. c1685-8 at sense 3.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French main hand < classical Latin manus (see manus n.¹). With sense 2 compare French main in sense ‘small metal device for taking money across a counter’ (attested late 17th to late 18th cent.), and also in such uses as denoting a shovel for cinders or embers.For quot. 1688 at sense 1 compare note s.v. maint adj. N.E.D. (1904) gives the pronunciation as (mēⁱn) /meɪn/.

Etymology: Shortened < demesne n. (although the latter is attested somewhat later in attributive use in its relevant sense; compare demesne n. 8); compare mains n.

Etymology: Probably partly < main n.¹ in compounds in Old English; partly < the cognate early Scandinavian adjective (compare Old Icelandic meginn , megn strong, powerful), and also < the corresponding early Scandinavian noun in compounds (see below). For the semantic development from ‘strong’ to ‘principal’, compare Old English and Old Icelandic nominal compounds discussed below, and also the extended sense ‘chief part’ of Old Icelandic megin ; for the development of this sense in English compare early use in (adjective + noun) compounds as mainland n., mainmast n., mainsail n., and also compounds at Compounds 1. The adjective occurs only very rarely in predicative use (compare quots. c1600 at sense 2a, 1630 at sense 5b), and does not occur compared or intensified in standard English after the 17th cent.In Old English main n.¹ frequently occurs as the first element in noun + noun compounds as an intensifier with partial or total loss of its literal meaning. The following may be compared, very broadly, with adjectival senses below (although the absence of the adjective in most senses in early Middle English perhaps argues against direct influence, as does the fact that all of the following except mægenþrymm are virtually confined to poetry in Old English): mægenbyrþen huge burden, mægenstān huge stone, mægenwudu strong spear (compare sense 1a); mægendǣd mighty deed, mægenellen mighty valour, mægenfultum mighty help, powerful help, mægenrǣs mighty onslaught, mægenweorc mighty work (compare sense 2a); mægencræft main force, great strength, might, mægenstrengo , mægenstrengþu great might (compare sense 2c); mægencorþor strong troop, mægenfolc mighty company, mægenhēap powerful band, mægenþrēat mighty host (compare sense 3); mægenearfeþe great misery or trial, mægensibb great love, mægenwundor striking wonder (compare sense 4a); mægencyning mighty king, mægenþegen mighty minister (compare sense 6a). By far the most frequently attested such compound in Old English is mægenþrymm power, might, majesty, greatness, glory (and also in spec. applications, as virtue, heavenly host, etc.), with which compare senses 4a and also 2a. Compare also Old Saxon meginfard , meginfolk , meginkraft , meginstrengi , meginsundia , meginthioda , meginthiof , Old High German magensūl , magenchraft (Middle High German magenkraft , mānkraft ). Similar uses in compounds are frequent in Old Icelandic. Compare (more selectively): meginfjǫldi vast multitude, megingjǫrð girdle of power, meginsjór the main, ocean (compare main sea n.), meginstormr mighty gale, meginþing great meeting, meginþǫrf great need; also, in uses approaching senses 5 or 8, meginborg main town, meginbygð main district, meginherr main army, meginhérað main district, meginhúfr main hull of a ship, meginhǫfn main harbour, meginlið main body of an army, meginland mainland, continent (see mainland n.), meginmerki chief standard, meginmǫrk chief forest, meginrás main course, meginstjarna star of first order. It is unlikely that the development of main adj.² has been influenced by Old French maine , maigne great (see mane adj.).