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main

32 2.5
The largest or most important dish in a meal
  • noun
  • /meɪn/
  • UK
: plato principal
  • So I just ordered two sides and a main course from my as well.

Examples

  • So then I think he brought out the main courses and I think yours was wrong.

  • Here's your appetizer, main course and your dessert, right?

  • But we had to stop ourselves because the main courses are here.

  • We started with coffee and dessert, and then we moved to the main meal.

  • And then for a main, I would make a salt, a sea bass, but I'd salt bake it.

  • And I would like people to be, you know, conscious of making sure that they're getting, you know, a good amount of protein in each of their main meals throughout the day.

  • The vegetarians are out of luck this year; there are no dishes we saw specifically called out as vegetarian mains.

    Blog text (6)
  • Today, they're in Los Angeles to make Beyond Beyond Noodles, the main dish of Bang Bang noodles.

  • So the the main meal of the Seder happens now, and one of the most famous foods that that Jews eat on Passover is called gefilte fish.

  • We enjoyed a delicious meal that included a fresh salad, followed by the main course of grilled salmon.

Synonyms

entree
vsmain
  • US
57 4.0

The main dish of a meal served in a restaurant

is broader and used for the principal dish in any setting
main course
vsmain
36 1.3

The main dish served after a starter and before dessert

has identical meaning but is the shorter common term
plate
vsmain
11 1.0

A main meal served on one dish

focuses on food size and importance rather than serving presentation

Idioms

8 3.7

In most cases

Compounds

90 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

45 3.0

The most important event in a show or public gathering

40 1.1

A big road that carries most traffic and connects towns

36 1.3

The main dish served after a starter and before dessert

main man
  • Informal
31 6.9

A person who others trust most in a group or situation

27 1.4

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

Main Street
  • Literature
20 4.4

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

water main
  • Specialized
16 2.6

A large underground pipe that carries water to buildings

15 1.5

A central building where managers run an organization

12 3.0

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

10 3.2

The most important railway route used by trains

main drag
  • Informal
8 5.1

A street in a town where most shops and restaurants are

gas main
  • Specialized
5 3.2

A big pipe that carries gas to homes and buildings

The most important point someone makes in a discussion or essay

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 file
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A central computer document that holds official records for a project

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 clause
  • Specialized
1 3.2

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

coup de main
  • Jargon
1 9.9

A sudden surprise attack on a place by soldiers

electric main
  • Specialized
1 4.3

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

main yard
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

main course
  • Archaic
1 9.9

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

main diagonal
  • Specialized
1 5.8

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

main-topmast
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

main-topsail
  • Specialized
1 9.9

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

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

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

riser main
  • Specialized
7.2

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

How Filling

to banquet
  • Formal
1 4.5
hearty meal
3 1.6
main
  • UK
32 2.5
side dish
22 1.0
starter
  • UK
7 1.9

Surface Forms

main singular
mains plural

Etymology

Main for the main course simply means the 'chief' or most important dish, so the main is the largest part of the meal.