Part 6757

-- <col>By main strength</col>, <cd>by sheer strength; <as>as, to lift a heavy weight <ex>by main strength</ex></as>.</cd> -- <col>Main beam</col> <fld>(Steam Engine)</fld>, <cd>working beam.</cd> -- <col>Main boom</col> <fld>(Naut.)</fld>, <cd>the boom which extends the foot of the mainsail in a fore and aft vessel.</cd> -- <col>Main brace</col>. <sd>(a)</sd> <fld>(Mech.)</fld> <cd>The brace which resists the chief strain. Cf. <er>Counter brace</er>.</cd> <sd>(b)</sd> <fld>(Naut.)</fld> <cd>The brace attached to the main yard.</cd> -- <col>Main center</col> <fld>(Steam Engine)</fld>, <cd>a shaft upon which a working beam or side lever swings.</cd> -- <col>Main chance</col>. <cd>See under <er>Chance</er>.</cd> -- <col>Main couple</col> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>the principal truss in a roof.</cd> -- <col>Main deck</col> <fld>(Naut.)</fld>, <cd>the deck next below the spar deck; the principal deck.</cd> -- <col>Main keel</col> <fld>(Naut.)</fld>, <cd>the principal or true keel of a vessel, as distinguished from the false keel.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- Principal; chief; leading; cardinal; capital.</syn>

<h1>Main</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Main</er>, <tt>a.</tt>]</ety> <def>Very extremely; <as>as, <ex>main</ex> heavy</as>.</def> "I'm <i>main</i> dry." <i>Foote</i>. <mark>[Obs. or Low]</mark>

<h1>Maine</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Maine</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One of the New England States.</def>

<cs><col>Maine law</col>, <cd>any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.</cd></cs>

<h1>Main-gauche</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main`-gauche"</hw> <tt>(m&acr;N`g&omac;sh")</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F., the left hand.]</ety> <fld>(Ancient Armor)</fld> <def>The dagger held in the left hand, while the rapier is held in the right; -- used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.</def>

<h1>Main-hamper</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"-ham`per</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>main</ets> hand (see <er>Main</er> a hand at dice) + E. <ets>hamper</ets>.]</ety> <def>A hamper to be carried in the hand; a hand basket used in carrying grapes to the press.</def>

<h1>Mainland</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"land`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The continent; the principal land; -- opposed to <i>island</i>, or <i>peninsula</i>.</def>

<i>Dryden.</i>

<blockquote>After the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the <b>mainland</b>. <i>Hawthorne.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Mainly</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"ly</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[From <ets>main</ets> strong. See <er>Main</er> strength.]</ety> <def>Very strongly; mightily; to a great degree.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Bacon. Shak.</i>

<h1>Mainly</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[From <ets>main</ets> principal, chief.]</ety> <def>Principally; chiefly.</def>

<h1>Mainmast</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"mast`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Naut.)</fld> <def>The principal mast in a ship or other vessel.</def>

<h1>Mainor</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"or</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Anglo-Norm. <ets>meinoure</ets>, OF. <ets>manuevre</ets>. See <er>Maneuver</er>.]</ety> <fld>(O. Eng. Law)</fld> <def>A thing stolen found on the person of the thief.</def>

<note>&hand; A thief was said to be "taken with the <i>mainor</i>," when he was taken with the thing stolen upon him, that is, <i>in his hands</i>.</note>

<i>Wharton. Bouvier. </i>

<h1>Mainpernable</h1> <Xpage=884>

<hw>Main"per*na*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>main</ets> hand + <ets>pernable</ets>, for <ets>prenable</ets>, that may be taken, pregnable. See <er>Mainpernor</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>Capable of being admitted to give surety by mainpernors; able to be mainprised.</def>