1. (

• main ,
• briny

) any very large body of (salt) water ;

2. (

• main

) a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage ;

1. (

• chief ,
• main ,
• primary ,
• principal ,
• master

) most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch" ;

2. (

• independent ,
• main ,

) (of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence; "the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb" ;

3. (

• main

) of force; of the greatest possible intensity; "by main strength" ;