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
(Main), adv. [See Main, a.] Very; extremely; as, main heavy. "I'm main dry." Foote. [Obs. or Low]

Maine
(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
(Main`-gauche") 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-hamper
(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.

Mainland
(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.

Mainly
(Main"ly) adv. [From main strong. See Main strength.] Very strongly; mightily; to a great degree. [Obs.] Bacon. Shak.

Mainly
(Main"ly), adv. [From main principal, chief.] Principally; chiefly.

Mainmast
(Main"mast`) n. (Naut.) The principal mast in a ship or other vessel.

Mainor
(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.

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  By PanEris using Melati.

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