Inglese

main

gb/mˈeɪn/ us/mˈeɪn/
A2 Inglese
~ 500
Accezioni
0 accezioni
adjective A2 property
1

Most important or central

Most important or biggest in importance.

Schema d'uso: the main [reason/idea/road/etc.]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes confuse 'main' with 'mean' because they sound similar, but 'mean' has a completely different meaning.
Sinonimi
primary (Slightly more formal; often used in academic or official contexts.) | chief (Slightly more formal or old-fashioned; often used in titles or hierarchical contexts.)
Contrari
minor (Indicates something of less importance or significance.) | secondary (Suggests something that is less important than the primary one.)
Collocazioni
main reason |main idea |main road |main character |main point
Temi
communication |organization |daily life |core_vocabulary
Esempi
  • The main reason I called you is to invite you to dinner.
  • Water is the main ingredient in this soup.
  • The main road into town is closed for repairs.
  • Her main concern is the safety of the children.
  • The main point of the meeting was to discuss budget cuts.
Esempi per chi studia
  • The main road is very busy.
  • My main hobby is reading books.
  • The main color in the picture is blue.
  • The main problem is money.
  • He is the main actor in the movie.
Sostantivo B1 entity
2

Large supply pipe or cable

A big pipe or cable that brings water, gas, or power to a place.

Sinonimi
pipeline (More general; can be used for various transportation systems, not just utilities.)
Collocazioni
water main |gas main |electricity main
Temi
infrastructure |technology |housing
Esempi
  • The water main burst during the night, flooding the street.
  • Workers are repairing the gas main on Elm Street.
  • An electricity main runs under this part of the city.
Esempi per chi studia
  • The water main is broken.
  • They are fixing the gas main.
  • The electricity main is under the road.
Sostantivo C1 entity
3

Open sea far from land

The part of the sea that is far from land.

Sinonimi
open sea (Neutral and clear; common in everyday speech.)
Contrari
shore (Refers to land along the edge of a sea or ocean.)
Collocazioni
out on the main
Temi
geography |travel |nature
Esempi
  • Sailors feared storms when out on the main.
  • They spent weeks navigating the main before reaching land.
  • The ship disappeared into the mist over the main.
Esempi per chi studia
  • The ship is out on the main.
  • They travel across the main to another country.
  • We see no land when we are on the main.
Grammatica
Forma base
main
IPA
GB/mˈeɪn/
US/mˈeɪn/
Sillabe e accento
main (1 sillaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (main)
Forme flesse
Adjective
  • Base: main
Noun
  • Base: main
  • Plural: mains
Famiglia di parole
Forms
mains noun
Core family
mainly adverb A2
Related words
mainstream adjective B2 mainland noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
secondary adjective B1 minor adjective A2
Espressioni

in the main

1
/ˈɪn ðə mˈeɪn/
fixed phrase formal

Generally true overall

Mostly; in general.

Esempi
  • In the main, people agreed with the decision.
  • The plan worked well, in the main.

main course

1
/mˈeɪn kˈɔɹs/
fixed phrase

Primary dish in a meal

The biggest or most important dish in a meal.

Esempi
  • For my main course, I ordered grilled salmon.
  • The steak was served as the main course after a light soup.

main squeeze

1
/mˈeɪn skwˈiz/
idiom informal

Romantic partner (informal)

Someone's boyfriend or girlfriend; romantic partner.

Esempi
  • He introduced me to his main squeeze at the party.
  • She's been his main squeeze for over a year.

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