main
gb/mˈeɪn/ us/mˈeɪn/
A2
Kiingereza
~ 500
Maana
maana 0
adjective
A2
property
1
Most important or central
Most important or biggest in importance.
Muundo wa matumizi:
the main [reason/idea/road/etc.]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'main' with 'mean' because they sound similar, but 'mean' has a completely different meaning.
Visawe
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.)
Vinyume
minor (Indicates something of less importance or significance.)
|
secondary (Suggests something that is less important than the primary one.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
main reason
|main idea
|main road
|main character
|main point
Mada
communication
|organization
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- 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.
Nomino
B1
entity
2
Large supply pipe or cable
A big pipe or cable that brings water, gas, or power to a place.
Visawe
pipeline (More general; can be used for various transportation systems, not just utilities.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
water main
|gas main
|electricity main
Mada
infrastructure
|technology
|housing
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The water main is broken.
- They are fixing the gas main.
- The electricity main is under the road.
Nomino
C1
entity
3
Open sea far from land
The part of the sea that is far from land.
Visawe
open sea (Neutral and clear; common in everyday speech.)
Vinyume
shore (Refers to land along the edge of a sea or ocean.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
out on the main
Mada
geography
|travel
|nature
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- 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.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
main
IPA
GB/mˈeɪn/
US/mˈeɪn/
Silabi na mkazo
main (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (main)
Maumbo ya neno
Adjective
- Base: main
Noun
- Base: main
- Plural: mains
Familia ya neno
Forms
mains
noun
Core family
mainly
adverb A2
Related words
mainstream
adjective B2
mainland
noun B1
Semi
in the main
1/ˈɪn ðə mˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
formal
Generally true overall
Mostly; in general.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- He introduced me to his main squeeze at the party.
- She's been his main squeeze for over a year.