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Glite Dictionary
amain

amain

9.9
Quickly and with great force
  • adverb
  • /əˈmeɪn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : a toda prisa
  • She ran amain to catch the bus.

Examples

  • The horse galloped amain across the field.

  • The warriors charged amain into the thick of battle.

  • Rain started falling amain as the storm swept over the fields.

  • The messenger rode amain to deliver the urgent news.

  • The messenger rode amain to deliver the urgent news.

  • The warriors charged amain into the thick of battle.

  • Rain started falling amain as the storm swept over the fields.

Synonyms

like the devil
vsamain
  • Informal
8 8.2

Very quickly and with great energy

is older and literary in tone rather than informal vigorous speech
like thunder
vsamain
4 4.7

Very quickly and with great force

is older and literary in tone rather than modern emphatic use
like sin
vsamain
  • Informal
1 9.2

To do something very quickly or with great effort

is older and literary in tone rather than casual intense speech

Antonyms

slowly
∞ 1.0

At a low speed without hurrying

Idioms

to run amain
  • Archaic
9.9

To move very fast on foot to get somewhere quickly

How Forceful

amain
  • Archaic
9.9
violently
107 3.5
forcefully
49 3.5
firmly
125 1.0
gently
372 1.0

Surface Forms

amain positive

Morphology

amain = main (opaque) = a + main

Historically analyzable as 'a-' + 'main' ('main' = strength), but the adverbial meaning 'with great speed or force' is archaic and not obvious to most learners.

Etymology

The word amain comes from old parts: a- meaning 'on' or 'in' and main meaning 'strength' or 'force', like the idea behind the English main for something big or strong. So to go amain is to move with great speed or power.