Spanish Main noun

1. (ie mainland) the mainland coast of the Caribbean Sea
2. Often (popularly) the Caribbean Sea itself

Spanish moss noun

Any of various plants which grow in tropical and sub-tropical areas in long, trailing strands from tree branches, esp Usnea longissima or Tillandsia usneoides

Spanish needles plural noun

An American weed of the bur-marigold genus with hooked fruits

Spanish omelette noun

An omelette made with various vegetables

Spanish onion noun

A large mild type of onion

Spanish practices or Spanish customs plural noun

Irregular or restrictive practices by a group of workers, such as overmanning and excessive overtime, which are costly, inefficient, etc (orig called old Spanish practices or customs)

Spanish rice noun

A dish of rice with peppers, tomatoes and onions

Spanish sheep noun

A merino

Spanish soap noun

Castile soap

Spanish topaz noun

An orange-brown variety of quartz (not a true topaz) used as a gemstone

Spanish walk noun

The piaffer gait in horsemanship

Spanish windlass noun (esp nautical)

A stick or short bar used in ropemaking to twist and tighten the strands

ride the Spanish mare (obs naut)

To be made to sit astride the ship's boom as a punishment

walk Spanish

1. To compel or be compelled to walk on tiptoe, lifted by the collar and the seat of the trousers
2. Hence, to proceed or act under duress or compulsion

main¹ /mān/

1. Great
2. Extensive
3. Important
4. Chief, principal
5. First in importance or extent
6. Leading
7. General
8. Strong (Milton)
9. Sheer (as in main force)

1. Strength, esp in the phrase might and main
2. The principal part
3. The mainland
4. The high sea
5. A great expanse (Shakespeare and Milton)
6. A principal pipe or conductor in a branching system distributing water, gas, electricity, etc
7. (in pl) the water, gas or electricity supply available through such a system
8. That which is essential
9. The most part
10. Purpose (obsolete).

Exceedingly

mainˈly adverb

1. Chiefly, principally
2. Much (obsolete or dialect)

mainˈboom noun

The spar that extends the foot of a fore-and-aft mainsail

mainˈbrace noun

The brace attached to the mainyard (see also splice)

main chance see under chance

main clause noun (grammar)

Same as principal clause (see under principal)

main course noun

1. The mainsail on square-rigged ships
2. The principal course of any meal

mainˈ-deck noun

The principal deck of a ship

mainˈdoor noun

1. A door giving independent access to a house, distinguished from one opening into a common passage
2. A ground-floor house in a tenement building or villa-block, entered from the front by a door of its own (Scot)

main drag see under drag

mainˈframe noun

A large, powerful computer, often with many simultaneous users, as opposed to a minicomputer or microcomputer

adjective

(of a computer) that is a mainframe

mainˈland /-lənd, -land/ noun

The principal or larger land, as opposed to neighbouring islands

mainˈlander noun

main line noun

1. A railway line between important centres
2. A principal route, course, etc
3. An important vein (slang)

mainˈline adjective

Of or situated on a major route

intransitive verb and transitive verb (slang)

1. To take (a narcotic) intravenously
2. To consume (something) voraciously or at speed

mainˈliner noun

mainˈlining noun

mainˈmast /-məst, -mäst/ noun

The principal mast, usually second from the prow

main memory noun (computing)

Same as main store below

main plane noun

The wings of an aeroplane considered as a unit

main purpose rule noun (law)

A rule presuming that an exemption clause in a contract, etc, is not intended to defeat the main object of that contract

mainˈsail /-sl, -sāl/ noun

The principal sail, generally attached to the mainmast

main sequence noun (astronomy)

The principal sequence of stars on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, running diagonally from upper left (high temperature, high luminosity) to lower right (low temperature, low luminosity) and containing about 90% of all known stars

mainˈsheet noun

The sheet or rope attached to the lower corner of the mainsail

mainˈspring noun

1. The spring that gives motion to any piece of machinery, esp that of a watch or a clock
2. Principal motive, motivating influence (figurative)

mainˈstay noun

1. A rope stretching forward and down from the top of the mainmast
2. Chief support

main store noun

The part of a computer's memory holding data and programs before, during, and after processing or execution

main stream noun

1. A river with tributaries
2. The chief direction or trend in any historical development, including that of an art

mainˈstream adjective

1. Relating to the main stream (lit and figurative)
2. (of cigarette smoke) that which is drawn into a smoker's mouth or lungs
3. (of swing) coming in the line of development between early and modern (jazz)
4. In accordance with what is normal or standard

transitive verb (esp N American)

1. To make mainstream
2. To integrate (children with disabilities) into classes of able-bodied children (education)

mainˈstreaming noun

Main Street adjective (US; also without cap)

Relating to the most mediocre or materialistic aspects of town or city life

mainˈstreeting noun (Can)

Electioneering or canvassing of support by a political candidate in the main streets of town, etc

mainˈtop noun

A platform on the top of the lower mainmast

maintop-gallˈant-mast noun

The mast above the maintopmast

maintopˈmast noun

The mast next above the lower mainmast

maintopˈsail noun

The sail above the mainsail, in square-rigged ships

mainˈyard noun

The lower yard on the mainmast

in the main

1. For the most part
2. On the whole

might and main

Utmost strength

Spanish Main see under Spanish