main

adjective

OPAL WOPAL S

/meɪn/

[only before noun]Idioms

jump to other results

being the largest or most important of its kind
- Be careful crossing the main road.
- the main course (= of a meal)
- We have our main meal at lunchtime.
- Reception is in the main building.
- Poor housing and unemployment are the main problems.
- Loss of habitat is the main reason for the bird's decline.
- The main thing is to stay calm.
Synonyms main
main
- major
- key
- central
- principal
- chief
- prime
These words all describe somebody/something that is the largest or most important of its kind.
- main [only before noun] largest or most important:
  Be careful crossing the main road.
  The main thing is to remain calm.
- major [usually before noun] very large or important:
  He played a major role in setting up the system.
  When major is used with the or my/your/his/her/our/their it means ‘the largest or most important’: Our major concern here is combating poverty. In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main: Be careful crossing the major road. • The major thing is to remain calm.
- key [usually before noun] most important; essential:
  He was a key figure in the campaign.
  Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that somebody plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb: Speed is key at this point.
- central (rather formal) most important:
  The central issue is that of widespread racism.
  Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase something is central to something else.
- principal [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:
  The principal reason for this omission is lack of time.
  Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade somebody of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central: The key/central issue here is…
- chief [only before noun] (rather formal) most important:
  Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty.
- prime [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first:
  My prime concern is to protect my property.
Patterns
- a/the main/major/key/central/principal/chief/prime aim/concern
- a/the main/major/principal road/town/city
- the main/key thing is to…
- to be of major/key/central/prime importance
Extra Examples
- Please use the main entrance.
- Our main concern is safety.
- There were three main political parties in the country.
- The main character in this movie is Lucky, an Irish setter.
- Try to summarize the main points of your argument.
- The main event is preceded by four bouts, including a five-round title fight.
Topics Cooking and eatinga1
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English mægen ‘physical force’, reinforced by Old Norse meginn, megn ‘strong, powerful’, both from a Germanic base meaning ‘have power’.

Idioms

with an eye for/on/to the main chance

(British English, usually disapproving) with the hope of using a particular situation in order to gain some advantage for yourself

main

noun

/meɪn/

Idioms

jump to other results

[countable] a large pipe that carries water or gas to a building; a large cable that carries electricity to a building
- a leaking gas main
- The main serves four towns.
see also ring main, rising main, water mainTopics Houses and homesc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- gas
- water
- broken
- …
verb + main
- lay
- replace
- repair
- …
main + verb
- serve something
See full entry
a large pipe that carries waste water and sewage (= human waste, etc.) away from a buildingTopics Houses and homesc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
mains + noun
- electricity
- gas
- water
- …
preposition
- at the mains
- on the mains
phrases
- connected to the mains
See full entry
the mains
[uncountable, plural] (British English) the place where the supply of water, gas or electricity to a building or an area starts; the system of providing gas, water and electricity to a building or of carrying it away from a building
- The house is not yet connected to the mains.
- at the mains The electricity supply has been cut off at the mains.
- Plug the transformer into the mains (= the place on a wall where electricity is brought into a room).
- mains gas/water/electricity
- The shaver will run off batteries or mains.
- mains drainage
Extra Examples
- Some of the remoter houses in the town are not on the mains.
- Turn the water off at the mains.
- an island without mains electricity
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
mains + noun
- electricity
- gas
- water
- …
preposition
- at the mains
- on the mains
phrases
- connected to the mains
See full entry

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English mægen ‘physical force’, reinforced by Old Norse meginn, megn ‘strong, powerful’, both from a Germanic base meaning ‘have power’.

Idioms

in the main

used to say that a statement is true in most cases
- The service here is, in the main, reliable.
- In the main, the money raised goes to children’s charities.

单词	main
释义	main adjective OPAL WOPAL S /meɪn/ /meɪn/ [only before noun]Idioms jump to other results being the largest or most important of its kind Be careful crossing the main road. the main course (= of a meal) We have our main meal at lunchtime. Reception is in the main building. Poor housing and unemployment are the main problems. Loss of habitat is the main reason for the bird's decline. The main thing is to stay calm. Synonyms mainmain major key central principal chief prime These words all describe somebody/something that is the largest or most important of its kind. main [only before noun] largest or most important: Be careful crossing the main road. The main thing is to remain calm. major [usually before noun] very large or important: He played a major role in setting up the system. When major is used with the or my/your/his/her/our/their it means ‘the largest or most important’: Our major concern here is combating poverty. In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main: Be careful crossing the major road. • The major thing is to remain calm. key [usually before noun] most important; essential: He was a key figure in the campaign. Key is used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that somebody plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major, especially when used after a noun and linking verb: Speed is key at this point. central (rather formal) most important: The central issue is that of widespread racism. Central is used in a similar way to key, but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase something is central to something else. principal [only before noun] (rather formal) most important: The principal reason for this omission is lack of time. Principal is mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade somebody of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use key or central: The key/central issue here is… chief [only before noun] (rather formal) most important: Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty. prime [only before noun] (rather formal) most important; to be considered first: My prime concern is to protect my property. Patterns a/the main/major/key/central/principal/chief/prime aim/concern a/the main/major/principal road/town/city the main/key thing is to… to be of major/key/central/prime importance Extra Examples Please use the main entrance. Our main concern is safety. There were three main political parties in the country. The main character in this movie is Lucky, an Irish setter. Try to summarize the main points of your argument. The main event is preceded by four bouts, including a five-round title fight. Topics Cooking and eatinga1 Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English mægen ‘physical force’, reinforced by Old Norse meginn, megn ‘strong, powerful’, both from a Germanic base meaning ‘have power’. Idioms with an eye for/on/to the main chance (British English, usually disapproving) with the hope of using a particular situation in order to gain some advantage for yourself main noun /meɪn/ /meɪn/ Idioms jump to other results [countable] a large pipe that carries water or gas to a building; a large cable that carries electricity to a building a leaking gas main The main serves four towns. see also ring main, rising main, water mainTopics Houses and homesc2 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective gas water broken … verb + main lay replace repair … main + verb serve something See full entry a large pipe that carries waste water and sewage (= human waste, etc.) away from a buildingTopics Houses and homesc2 Oxford Collocations Dictionarymains + noun electricity gas water … preposition at the mains on the mains phrases connected to the mains See full entry the mains [uncountable, plural] (British English) the place where the supply of water, gas or electricity to a building or an area starts; the system of providing gas, water and electricity to a building or of carrying it away from a building The house is not yet connected to the mains. at the mains The electricity supply has been cut off at the mains. Plug the transformer into the mains (= the place on a wall where electricity is brought into a room). mains gas/water/electricity The shaver will run off batteries or mains. mains drainage Extra Examples Some of the remoter houses in the town are not on the mains. Turn the water off at the mains. an island without mains electricity Oxford Collocations Dictionarymains + noun electricity gas water … preposition at the mains on the mains phrases connected to the mains See full entry Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English mægen ‘physical force’, reinforced by Old Norse meginn, megn ‘strong, powerful’, both from a Germanic base meaning ‘have power’. Idioms in the main used to say that a statement is true in most cases The service here is, in the main, reliable. In the main, the money raised goes to children’s charities.
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