noun
Meaning 1
plural of main
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
mains
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /meɪnz/
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rhymes with -eɪnz
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: M EY1 N Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
The domestic electrical power supply, especially as connected to a network or grid.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, uncountable
Examples
- I plugged it into the mains and it blew up!
- We don't have mains power out here, only a generator.
- mains electricity, mains voltage
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A large-scale network or grid supplying any of various other services, such as water, gas or sewerage, to properties.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, uncountable
Examples
- We have gas heating, but it's bottled gas, not mains gas.
- The properties formerly relied on a well, but are now connected to the mains water supply.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
The main course of a meal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
The farm attached to a mansion house.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: home farm
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
third-person singular simple present indicative of main
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Related to manse.
Across languages
Translations
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: verkko — domestic electrical supply
- Finnish: sähköt — domestic electrical supply
- Finnish: seinä — domestic electrical supply
- German: Stromnetz — domestic electrical supply
- Hungarian: hálózat — domestic electrical supply
- Hungarian: hálózati áram — domestic electrical supply
- Polish: sieć — domestic electrical supply
- Finnish: vesijohtoverkko — pipes of a centralized water supply
- Finnish: vesijohdot — pipes of a centralized water supply
Real reading context