Main (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The main objective of the company is to increase profits.
- The main character in the novel was a young woman named Sarah.
- The main event of the festival was the concert by a famous rock band.
- The main ingredient in this recipe is fresh basil.
- The main road through the town was closed due to construction.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
(of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence; "the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The main clause in the sentence is "I went to the store."
- The sentence consists of a main clause and several subordinate clauses.
- In a complex sentence, the main clause is the one that could stand alone as a complete sentence.
- The main clause is the part of the sentence that contains the main verb.
- Identify the main clause in the following sentence: "When I got home, I started dinner."
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Of force; of the greatest possible intensity; "by main strength".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The firefighters used main force to break down the door and rescue the trapped family.
- The storm hit the coast with main force, causing widespread destruction and flooding.
- The hikers had to use main strength to haul themselves up the steep mountain trail.
- The police used main force to disperse the crowd of protesters, resulting in several injuries.
- The main effort of the rescue team was focused on searching for survivors in the rubble.