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main

27 4.2
A large pipe that carries water, gas or sewage
  • noun
  • /meɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tubería principal
  • - Water main doesn't run through here.
  • water main
  • break a water main
  • force main

So we turned off the, the main's cold water supply.

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Examples

  • So we're putting the main lines in for the front.

  • Replacement of the entire main was shown to be cost-prohibitive compared to the other methods.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Sometimes they only have one main running down the street.

  • The bathroom was near the doors, the main doors after this little corridor.

  • So let's move this pump to the main power supply.

  • Large water pipes and electrical mains run across the ceiling.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • A water main burst underground today... stopping subway service and flooding Downtown Brooklyn.

  • The city is repairing a leaking main that supplies water to thousands of residents.

  • After the heavy rain, several streets flooded due to a broken main in the area.

  • The construction crew discovered that the main had been damaged during the excavation process.

Synonyms

pipeline
vsmain
106 3.7

A long pipe that carries oil or gas across land

is the principal conduit within local utility systems rather than long transport
water main
vsmain
  • Specialized
15 2.6

A large underground pipe that carries water to buildings

is the principal conduit used for various utilities not only water
sewer line
vsmain
  • Specialized
7 2.5

A pipe that carries dirty water and waste from buildings to a place that cleans it

is the principal conduit used for various utilities not only sewage
gas main
vsmain
  • Specialized
4 3.2

A big pipe that carries gas to homes and buildings

is the principal conduit used for various utilities not only gas
sewer main
vsmain
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A large underground pipe that carries dirty water from buildings to a treatment plant

is the principal conduit used for various utilities not only sewage
electric main
vsmain
  • Specialized
4.3

A large cable or line that carries electricity from a power station to homes

is the principal conduit used for various utilities not only electricity

Antonyms

47 3.7

A smaller river or stream that flows into a larger one

Idioms

9 3.7

In most cases

Compounds

74 2.3

A town's main road where most shops, restaurants, and businesses are located

The most important person in a story like a book or movie

37 3.0

The most important event in a show or public gathering

35 1.1

A big road that carries most traffic and connects towns

28 1.3

The main dish served after a starter and before dessert

main man
  • Informal
28 6.9

A person who others trust most in a group or situation

23 1.4

The main road in a town where most shops and businesses are

water main
  • Specialized
15 2.6

A large underground pipe that carries water to buildings

12 1.5

A central building where managers run an organization

Main Street
  • Literature
11 4.4

The people and life of small towns, often seen as traditional and focused on money

8 3.0

The most important place at an event where the main shows happen

7 3.2

The most important railway route used by trains

main drag
  • Informal
7 5.1

A street in a town where most shops and restaurants are

The most important point someone makes in a discussion or essay

gas main
  • Specialized
4 3.2

A big pipe that carries gas to homes and buildings

main deck
  • Specialized
3 5.0

The top covered deck that runs the full length of a large ship

sewer main
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A large underground pipe that carries dirty water from buildings to a treatment plant

main course
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A large square sail set on a ship's main mast to catch the wind

1 3.4

The most important idea in a discussion or text

main rotor
  • Specialized
1 4.5

A large set of spinning blades on a helicopter that lifts it into the air

main file
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A central computer document that holds official records for a project

main clause
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A part of a sentence that can stand alone as a complete sentence

coup de main
  • Jargon
9.9

A sudden surprise attack on a place by soldiers

electric main
  • Specialized
4.3

A large cable or line that carries electricity from a power station to homes

A large city in central Germany that is an important banking and trade centre

main diagonal
  • Specialized
5.8

The line of numbers in a square table from the top left to the bottom right

6.0

The word shown at the top of a dictionary page to find information

A strong front light on a car used when no other cars come because it can blind drivers

8.5

Thinking you are the most important person in most situations

main yard
  • Specialized
9.9

A long pole across a ship with square sails that holds the main sail

main-topmast
  • Specialized
9.9

The upper part of a ship's main mast that holds sails

main-topsail
  • Specialized
9.9

A sail above the mainsail on the main mast of a ship

riser main
  • Specialized
7.2

A vertical pipe in a building that carries water or gas to different floors

How Big

artery
20 3.5
main
  • Specialized
27 4.2
pipe
344 1.0
tube
680 2.0

Surface Forms

main singular
mains plural

Etymology

Main for a large pipe comes from the idea of the 'main' or most important part of a system, so a water main is the principal pipe that carries most of the water.