main 
3. I'riin-ipul or duct' in si/.e or extent; largest ; 
cuiudstiiiK of tin- largest part; most important 
li\ reason of si/.e or strength : as, the inn hi tim- 
h'ers of a building; the miiin branch of a river; 
the niniii body of an army. 
This as a niniii lilmv to I'rince Lewis, and the last of 
his Hattela in England. Raker, Chronicles, p. 78. 
The wain liattel was leil by the King himself. 
Itnkrr. Chronicles, p. 170. 
To glean the broken ears lifter the man 
That the main harvest reaps. 
Shak., An you Like it, Hi. 5. 103. 
4. Full; undivided; sheer: now used chiefly in 
the phrases nmin xtrcni/tli, uii it force. 
Hut I hope with ray hond * my hard strokes, 
Thnrgh might of cure mykell goddes, & of mayn strenght, 
Thy hotly to brittun vnto bale dethe. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. .), 1. 79f>. 
A man of my lord cardinal's, by commission and main 
power, took 'em from me. Shak., Hen. VIII., 11. 2. 7. 
By the main assent 
Uf all these learned men she was divorced. 
Shot., Hen. VIII., tv. 1. 81. 
They did put the wars likewise upon mom force and 
valour. Bacon, Vicissitude of Things (od. 1887). 
5. Ifaut., belonging to or connected with the 
principal mast in a vessel. 6. "Big"; angry. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
Observing Dick look'd ma<n and blue. 
CMim'i iliaxUanitt (1702), p. 13. (HnUiuxU.) 
Main Chance. See chance. Main course. Seeomrw', 
18. Main deck. See deck, 2. Main guard, a body of 
soldiers told off for the guard-mounting of the day or night, 
fri'in which sentinels and pickets are taken. Main sea. 
Bee sea. 
main- (man), adv. [< main 2 , a. Cf. mif/liti/,poic- 
i-rl'iil, similarly used.] Mightily; exceedingly; 
extremely. [Prov. Eng.] 
Why, it's tnain jolly, to be sure. 
Sheridan (I), The Camp, i. 2. 
A draught of ale, friend ; for I'm main dry. f'oote. 
main 3 (man), . [< ME. mayne, < OF. main, the 
hand, F. main, the hand, a hand at cards, the 
lead at cards, also hand (lit. and iu various de- 
rived senses), = Pr. man = Sp. ntano = Pg. ;# 
= It. wao = Ir. man, mana,<. L. matins, the hand, 
also a stake at dice (and iu many other derived 
senses) : prob. < / ma, measure. The deriva- 
tives of L. maims are very many: manacle, 
manage, manage, manifest, maniple, manipulate, 
manner, manual, manufacture, manumit, manu- 
script, etc., manure, manteuver, mainor, aman- 
uensis, etc., mainprise, mainpernor, tnaintain, 
etc.] If. A hand. 
Saynt I'.lyn hit made with noble mayne. 
Political Poems, etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 130. 
2f. A hand at dice ; a throw of the dice at haz- 
ard. 
Were it good 
To set the exact wealth of all our states 
All at one cast? to set so rich a tnatn 
On the nice hazard of one doubtful hour? 
Shak., 1 Hen. IV., Iv. 1. 47. 
First a maine at dice, and then weele eate. 
Maretan, What you Will, iv. 1. 
3. A match at cock-fighting. 
The Welch main, which was the most sanguinary form 
of the amusement, appears to have been exclusively Eng- 
lish, and of modern origin. In this game as many as six- 
teen cocks were sometimes matched against each other at 
each side, and they fought till all on one side were killed. 
The victors were then divided and fought, and the process 
was repeated till but a single cock remained. 
Lecky, Eng. in 18th Cent, IT. 600. 
4. A banker's shovel for coin. 
main 4 ! (man), r. t. [By apheresis for amain 2 .] 
To furl : said of sails. 
Thanne he made vs to mayne, that ys to sey stryk Downe 
ower sayles. Torkington, Diarie of Eng. Travel], p. 59. 
When it is a tempest almost intolerable for other ships, 
and maketh them main all their sails, these [carackes] hoist 
up theirs, and sail excellently well. 
T. Stevens (Arber's Eng. Oarncr, I. 132). 
main~'t, ' t. An obsolete variant of maim. 
niaina (ma'na), . K Hind, maina, a starling.] 
1. A kind of bird. See minn- and Kuliilien. 2. 
[ca/>.] A genus of birds : same as Eulahcs. B.R. 
Hodgson, 1836. Also Mainatim (li. P. ISXHHII, 
1831). 
main-beam (mau'bem), . \ant., the deck- 
beam under the forward side of the main-hatch, 
on which the official tonnage and number of 
the vessel are by the United States statute re- 
quired to be marked. On river-steamers it is 
considered to be the beam under the after side 
of the starboard forward hatch. 
main-boom (man'bom), . The spar which ex- 
tends the foot of a t'ore-and-at't mainsail. 
main-brace (man'bvas), . .\'<n</., the brace 
attached to the main-yard. See /ira<v', !). To 
splice the main-brace, in mint, slang, to serve out an 
3583 
alli>iv:uiceof spirit* to a chip's company; indulge in drink- 
ing spirits. 
main-chocks (mSn'ohoto), ". /)/. The first set 
of choeks or strips of wood at the head of a 
whale-boat, nailed to the upper strake, form- 
ing the groove through which the line passes. 
main-couple t muu'kup'l), n. In arch., the priu- 
eipal truss iu a roof. 
main-deck (man'dek), . In merchant ships, 
that part of the upper deck w hich lies between 
the forecastle and the poop ; in men-of-war, the 
deck next below the spar-deck; the gun-deck. 
See di (/,-, -2. 
main-de-fer (maii-dt-fcr'), n. [F.: main, hand ; 
de, of; fer, iron.] A defensive appliance for 
the baud and arm used in the tournaments 
and tilting-matches of the sixteenth century. 
Especially (a) A solid piece of iron extending from the 
elbow-Joint to the tips of the lingers of the left arm, 
like a shield, to protect that part of the arm which was 
not covered by the tilting-shield. The hand behind it 
was free to hold the reins, being clothed in a simple glove 
of leather or similar material. (6) A gauntlet for the right 
hand, fastening with hook and staple or the like, so that 
the hand could not be opened, nor the weapon grasped in 
It be dislodged. 
Maine law. See law 1 . 
maine-portt (man'port), . In old Eng. law, a 
small duty or tribute, commonly of loaves of 
bread, which in some places the parishioners 
brought to the rector in lieu of small tithes, 
mainfult (man'ful), a. [< ME. maynful, mein- 
ful; < main 1 + -ful.'] Powerful, 
main-hatch (man'hach), n. Naut., a hatch just 
forward of the mainmast, 
main-hold (man'hold), n. Xaut., that part of 
a ship's hold which lies near the main-hatch, 
mainland (man'land), . The continent; the 
principal land, as distinguished from islands. 
It Is In Grece, and theTnrkes inayne lande lyeth within 
.ij. or .Uj. myle of theym. 
Sir J{. Ovylforde, Pylgrymage, p. 11. 
They landed on the mainland north of the haven. 
E. A.. Freeman, Venice, p. 124. 
mainlander (man'lan-der), . One who dwells 
on the mainland. [Rare.] 
The mainlanders and the islanders could not take the 
preliminary step of agreeing upon a place where they 
should meet. Palfrey, Hist. New Eng., II. 359. 
main-link (man'lingk), . In maeh., in the 
usual parallel motion, the link that connects 
the end of the beam of a steam-engine to the 
piston-rod. 
mainly (mau'li),o't>. [< na 2 , a., + -fy 2 .] If. 
By main strength ; strongly ; forcibly ; firmly. 
Such breadth of shoulders as might mainly bear 
Old Atlas' burthen. Marlowe, Tamburlalne, I., ii. 1. 
2f. Greatly ; to a great degree ; mightily. 
When a suspect doth catch once, it burns mainly. 
Middleton, The Witch, iv. 2. 
Still she eyes him mainly. Fletcher, Mad Lover, Hi. 4. 
3. Chiefly; principally: as, he is mainly occu- 
pied with domestic concerns. 
Moos'lims of Arabian origin have, for many centuries, 
mainly composed the population of Egypt 
E. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians. I. 29. 
They are Spaniards mainly In their love of revolt. 
Lathrop, Spanish Vistas, p. 181. 
mainmast (man'mast or -mast), w. yaut., the 
principal mast in a ship or other vessel, in 
three-masted vessels It is the middle mast; in a vessel 
carrying two masts it is the one toward the stern, except 
in the yawl, galiot, and ketch, where it is the mast toward 
the prow ; in four-masted ships it is the second mast from 
the oow. Malnmastman, a seaman stationed to attend 
to and keep in order the ropes about the mainmast. 
mainort, mainourt (ma'nor). H. [Also manour, 
mil ii IK r. mi/in r: < ME. m<i nitiri'. miiy- 
niin, < AF. mainonre, meiiioure, OF. main' 
maiioeiirre, nianom; work of the hand : see ma- 
imwvr. /HfiMHir, wiwiiiicr 3 .] 1. Act or fact : used 
of the commission of theft. 2. That which is 
st oleii ; evidence of guilt found on an offender, 
as stolen goods. To be taken in the mainor, to 
be taken or caught in the act, as of theft. 
main-sheet 
How like :i uliei'i'-biting i"fin-, '"* i" the manner, 
And ready for the halter, ilimt tlinu look now ! 
Fletcher, Rule a Wife, v. i. 
To be taken with the mainor, to he taken or caught 
with the stolen property in hand. 
The manner of It Is, I was taken iri/A the manner. 
Shak.,L.L.L.,\.l. 204. 
Even as a theife that Is taken with the manner that he 
st calnli. Latimer, Sermons, p. 1 la (Karen.) 
A thief taken with the mainour, that Is with the thinit 
stolen upon him in rnanu, might, when so detected Ha- 
KI ante dellcto, be brought Into court, arraigned, and tried 
without indictment. Wacltstone, Com., IV. xxiii. 
main-pendant (man'pen'daut), n. Naut., a 
piece of stout rope fixed to the top of the main- 
mast under the shrouds on each side, and having 
an iron thimble spliced into an eye at the lower 
end to receive the hooks of the pendant-tackle. 
mainpernablet (man'per-na-bl), a. [< OF. 
(AF.) mainpreiiable, < mainprendre, take sure- 
ty: see niiiin/irine, mainpernor.^ In laic, capable 
of being admitted to give surety by mainper- 
nors; proper to be mamprised; bailable. 
mainpernort, mainpernourt (man'per-nor), . 
[Early mod. E. also mayntperncr ; \ ME. main- 
pernour, meinpernotir, maynpurnour, < OF. ( AF. ) 
mainpernour, mainparnour, mainprenor, maiii- 
preneur, < mainpre ndre, take surety: see main- 
prise.'] In law, a surety for a prisoner's ap- 
pearance in court at a future day; one who 
gives mainprise for another: diflering from bail 
in that the mainpernor could not imprison or 
surrender the prisoner before the day appoint- 
ed. See mainprise. 
Whan Cryste schall schewe his woundys wete, 
Than Marye be oure maynvurnoure .' 
MS. Cantab, rf. II. 38, f. 5. (Halliwell.) 
To compel them to find surety of their good bearing, by 
sufficient mainpemtrrit, of such as be distrainable, if any 
default be found In such Feitors and Vagabonds, 
Laiet nf Riehard It., quoted In Eibton-Turner's Vagrants 
[and Vagrancy, p. 59. 
Thou knowest well ynough that I am thy pledge, borowe, 
and tnayneperner. 
Hall't Union, 1648, Hen. IV., foL 12. (Sara.) 
main-pin (man'pin), . A pin upon which the 
fore axle of a wagon turns in locking. [Prov. 
Eng.] 
main-post (man'post), n. The stern-post of a 
ship. 
mainpriset, mainprizet (man'pnz), n. [< ME. 
mainprise, meynprixe, < OF. (AF.) mainprise, 
meinprise, surety, bail,< mainprendre, take sure- 
ty, < main, hand, + prendre, take : see prize 1 .'] 
In law : (a) Surety; bail. 
He shall, for his offence, pay the sum of two shillings, or 
else be utterly excluded for ever, without bail or mainjtriie. 
Enytith Gildt (E. E. T. 8-X p. 291. 
They are not bailable, 
They stand committed without bail or mainprise. 
B. Joruon, Staple of News, T. 2. 
(6) Deliverance of a prisoner on security for 
his appearance at a future day. 
"fiod wot,' qnath Wisdam, " that weore not the beste; 
And he amendes make let inrynprine him haue ; 
And beo borw of bis bale and buggen him bote." 
Piert Plowman (A), iy. 75. 
(c) A writ formerly directed to the sheriff, com- 
manding him to take sureties (called mainper- 
nors) for a prisoner's appearance, and to let 
him go at large. This writ is now generally 
superseded by bail and habeas corpus. 
mainpriset, mainprizet (man'pnz), v. t. [< 
mainprise, n.] To suffer to go at large, as a 
prisoner, on his finding sureties or mainper- 
nors for his appearance at a future day. 
mainprisert, mainprizert (man'pri-zfcr), . A 
surety; a mainpernor. 
There was the Earlc of lister enlarged, who tooke his 
oath, and found mainpruer* or sureties to answer the 
writ* of law and to pursue the Kings enemies. 
Holland, tr. of Camden, ii. 17& (Danei.) 
main-rigging (man'rig'ing), n. .Vw,.. the rig- 
ging of the mainmast. 
mainroyal (man'roi'al), n. ffaut., the upper- 
most sail ordinarily carried on the mainmast, 
next above the topgallantsail, and used only 
in a light breeze. Mainroyalmast, the upper part 
of the maintopgallantmast, sometimes fitted separately. 
mains (manz), n. [A dial. var. of ia;ie 2 .] The 
farm or fields attached to a mansion-house; 
the home farm. [Scotch and North. Eng.] 
mainsail (man'sal or -si), n. In a square-rigged 
vessel, the sail bent to the main-yard ; the main 
course; in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, the large 
sail set on the after part of the mainmast. 
main-sheet (man'shet), . The sheet or rope 
used for securing the mainsail when set. See 
sheet. With a square mainsail it holds in place the lee 
clue of the sail, and with a fore-and-aft mainsail it is a 
tackle on the main-boom. 
