transcription, транскрипция: [ meɪn ]
( mains)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
The main thing is the most important one of several similar things in a particular situation.
...one of the main tourist areas of Amsterdam...
My main concern now is to protect the children...
What are the main differences and similarities between them?
= chief
ADJ : det ADJ
2.
If you say that something is true in the main , you mean that it is generally true, although there may be exceptions.
Tourists are, in the main, sympathetic people...
= on the whole
PHRASE : PHR with cl
3.
The mains are the pipes which supply gas or water to buildings, or which take sewage away from them.
...the water supply from the mains...
The capital has been without mains water since Wednesday night.
N-COUNT : usu pl , usu with supp
4.
The mains are the wires which supply electricity to buildings, or the place where the wires end inside the building. ( mainly BRIT )
...amplifiers which plug into the mains...
N-PLURAL : usu the N