Engels

main

gb/mˈeɪn/ us/mˈeɪn/
A2 Engels
~ 500
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
adjective A2 property
1

Most important or central

Most important or biggest in importance.

Gebruikspatroon: the main [reason/idea/road/etc.]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse 'main' with 'mean' because they sound similar, but 'mean' has a completely different meaning.
Synoniemen
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.)
Antoniemen
minor (Indicates something of less importance or significance.) | secondary (Suggests something that is less important than the primary one.)
Woordcombinaties
main reason |main idea |main road |main character |main point
Thema's
communication |organization |daily life |core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
  • 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
  • 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.
Zelfstandig naamwoord B1 entity
2

Large supply pipe or cable

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

Synoniemen
pipeline (More general; can be used for various transportation systems, not just utilities.)
Woordcombinaties
water main |gas main |electricity main
Thema's
infrastructure |technology |housing
Voorbeelden
  • 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
  • The water main is broken.
  • They are fixing the gas main.
  • The electricity main is under the road.
Zelfstandig naamwoord C1 entity
3

Open sea far from land

The part of the sea that is far from land.

Synoniemen
open sea (Neutral and clear; common in everyday speech.)
Antoniemen
shore (Refers to land along the edge of a sea or ocean.)
Woordcombinaties
out on the main
Thema's
geography |travel |nature
Voorbeelden
  • 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.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
  • 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
Lemmavorm
main
IPA
GB/mˈeɪn/
US/mˈeɪn/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
main (1 lettergreep)
Stress on 1st syllable (main)
Woordvormen
Adjective
  • Base: main
Noun
  • Base: main
  • Plural: mains
Woordfamilie
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
Uitdrukkingen

in the main

1
/ˈɪn ðə mˈeɪn/
fixed phrase formal

Generally true overall

Mostly; in general.

Voorbeelden
  • 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.

Voorbeelden
  • 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.

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

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