main 英 [meɪn]   美 [men]

main

main  英 [meɪn] 美 [men]

adj. 主要的 

名词复数:mains 

main structure of a house 房子的主结构
the main course of a meal 主菜

  • When you describe something as main, you mean it's the most important, well-known, or biggest of its kind. The main branch of the post office in a city is usually the largest and busiest.
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  • adj. 主要的
  • 1. main structure of a house

    房子的主结构

  • 2. the main course of a meal

    主菜

  • 3. Be careful crossing the main road.

    过大马路时小心点儿。

  • 4. Reception is in the main building.

    接待处在主楼。

  • main (adj.) early 13c., "large, bulky, strong," from Old English mægen- "power, strength, force," used in compounds (such as mægensibb "great love," mægenbyrðen "heavy burden;" see main (n.)), probably also from or influenced by Old Norse megenn (adj.) "strong, powerful." Sense of "chief" is c. 1400. Main course in the meal sense attested from 1829. Main man "favorite male friend; hero" is from 1967, African-American vernacular.
  • main (n.) Old English mægen (n.) "power, bodily strength, force, efficacy," from Proto-Germanic *maginam "power," suffixed form of PIE root *magh- "to be able, have power." Original sense preserved in phrase with might and main. Meaning "principal channel in a utility system" is first recorded 1727 in main drain. Used since 1540s for "continuous stretch of land or water;" in nautical jargon used loosely for "the ocean," but in Spanish Main the word is short for mainland and refers to the coast between Panama and Orinoco (as contrasted to the islands of the West Indies).
main / meɪn ; NAmE meɪn / adjective , noun main mains adjective [only before noun ] being the largest or most important of its kind 主要的;最重要的 Be careful crossing the main road. 过大马路时小心点儿。 the main course (= of a meal) 主菜 We have our main meal at lunchtime. 我们的正餐是午饭。 Reception is in the main building. 接待处在主楼。 Poor housing and unemployment are the main problems. 住房条件差和失业是主要问题。 The main thingis to stay calm. 最重要的是要保持冷静。 IDIOMsee eye n. noun 1 [countable ] a large pipe that carries water or gas to a building; a large cable that carries electricity to a building (通往建筑物的)主管道,总管,输电干线 a leaking gas main 漏气的煤气总管 see also water main 2 a large pipe that carries waste/water and sewage(= human waste, etc.) away from a building (建筑物的)污水总管道 3 the mains [uncountable ,  plural ] ( BrE) the place where the supply of water, gas or electricity to a building or an area starts; the system of providing gas, water and electricity to a building or of carrying it away from a building 水源;煤气源;电源;(水、煤气、电等的)供应系统;下水道系统 The house is not yet connected to the mains. 这房子还没有通水电。 The electricity supply has been cut off at the mains. 电的供应在电源处被切断了。 Plug the transformer into the mains (= the place on a wall where electricity is brought into a room). 将变压器插入电源。 mains gas/water/electricity 煤气╱水╱电供应系统 The shaver will run off batteries or mains. 这个剃须刀可用电池或电源驱动。 mains drainage 排水系统 IDIOM in the ˈmain used to say that a statement is true in most cases 大体上;基本上 The service here is, in the main, reliable. 这里的服务基本上是可靠的。 SYNONYMS 同义词辨析 main major key central principal chief prime These words all describe sb/sth that is the largest or most important of its kind. 以上各词均用以形容主要的、最重要的人或事物。 main [only before noun] largest or most important 指主要的、最重要的: Be careful crossing the main road. 过大马路时小心点。 The main thing is to remain calm. 最重要的是要保持冷静。 major [usually before noun] very large or important 指主要的、重要的、大的: He played a major role in setting up the system. 他对建立这个系统起了重要的作用。 NOTE Majoris most often used after awith a singular noun, or no article with a plural noun. When it is used with theor my/your/his/her/our/theirit means ‘the largest or most important’. *major 最常用于不定冠词 a 之后,与单数名词连用;或不用冠词,与复数名词连用。major 与 the 或 my/your/his/her/our/their 连用时意为最主要的、最重要的: Our major concern here is combatting poverty. 在这里我们最关心的是解决贫穷问题。 In this meaning it is only used to talk about ideas or worries that people have, not physical things, and it is also more formal than main. 在该含义中 major 只用以指人的想法或担忧,而非物质的东西,且较 main 正式: Be careful crossing the major road. The major thing is to remain calm. key [usually before noun] most important; essential 指最重要的、主要的、关键的: He was a key figure in the campaign. 他是这场运动的关键人物。 NOTE Keyis used most frequently in business and political contexts. It can be used to talk about ideas, or the part that sb plays in a situation, but not physical things. It is slightly more informal than major,especially when used after a noun and linking verb. *key 最常用于商务和政治语境,可用以指想法或某人在某情势下起的作用,而非物质的东西。key 较 major 稍非正式,用于名词加连系动词后尤其如此: Speed is key at this point. 在这个时候速度是关键。 central ( rather formal) most important. 指最重要的、首要的、主要的: The central issue is that of widespread racism. 最重要的问题是种族主义泛滥。 NOTE Centralis used in a similar way to key,but is more formal. It is most frequently used in the phrase sth is central to sth else. *central 与 key 用法相似,但更正式,最常用于 be central to 短语中。 principal [only before noun] ( rather formal) most important 指最重要的、主要的: The principal reason for this omission is lack of time. 略过这个的主要原因是时间不足。 NOTE Principalis mostly used for statements of fact about which there can be no argument. To state an opinion, or to try to persuade sb of the facts as you see them, it is more usual to use keyor central. *principal 主要用于陈述无可争辩的事实。表明意见或说服别人相信你所见到的事实,较常用 key 或 central: The key/central issue here is… 这里的关键问题是… chief [only before noun] ( rather formal) most important 指最重要的、首要的、主要的: Unemployment was the chief cause of poverty. 失业是贫穷的主要原因。 prime [only before noun] ( rather formal) most important; to be considered first 指主要的、首要的: My prime concern is to protect my property. 我最关心的是保护自己的财产。 PATTERNS a/the main/major/key/central/principal/chief/prime aim / aim a/the main/major/principal road / road the main/key thingis to… to be ofmajor/key/central/prime importance main / meɪn ; NAmE meɪn /
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