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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

mainly en · ADV

Pronunciation

  • /ˈmeɪnli/ (UK)
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English maynly; equivalent to main + -ly.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) Of a person or thing being the driving force influencing the outcome of an event; chiefly; certainly for the most part.
    • If you’re looking for the most breathable mask, Lukovics says, “Cotton is preferable, mainly for absorbing moisture/sweat.” She says multiple layers may be more protective but will also impact breathability. 2021 August 17, Elizabeth Wallace and Kai Burkhardt, “12 breathable face masks to protect you while exercising”, in CNN:
    • She had Lord James' collar in one big fist and she pounded the table with the other and talked a blue streak. Nobody could make out plain what she said, for she was mainly jabbering Swede lingo, but there was English enough, of a kind, to give us some idee. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
  2. (not-comparable, obsolete) Forcefully, vigorously.
    • Mainly they all attonce vpon him laid, / And sore beset on euery side around […] 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
    • Such breadth of ſhoulders as might mainely beare Olde Atlas burthen, […] c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act (please specify |act=I or II), scene i:
  3. (not-comparable, obsolete) Of the production of a sound: loudly, powerfully.
    • But in the end, mainly crying out, he fell to raling and wringing his master, upbraiding him that he was not a true Philosopher[…]. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 31, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
  4. (not-comparable, obsolete) To a great degree; very much.

Relateds

amain

Synonyms

raucously (loudly) · energetically (forcefully) · lustily (loudly) · strongly (forcefully) · principally · in the main (for the most part) · thunderously (loudly) · earsplittingly (loudly) · a lot (to a great degree) · extremely (to a great degree) · powerfully (forcefully)

Translations (58)

it principalmente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · el κυρίως (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · et põhiliselt (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ar غَالِبًا (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · gl principalmente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · pl głównie (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi enimmäkseen (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ru гла́вным о́бразом (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · nb overveiende (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fr surtout (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · es máxime (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ka ძირითადად (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · oc principalament (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · pt principalmente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · vo ledino (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · hu főleg (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ja 主に (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · pdt hauptsechlich (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · hi मुख्यतः (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · et peaasjalikult (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · he בעיקר \ בְּעִקָּר (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · nn hovudsakleg (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · eo ĉefe (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · es máximamente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ko 주로 (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · nb hovedsakelig (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · gl basicamente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi suurimmaksi osaksi (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi pääosin (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi etupäässä (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · eo precipe (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi lähinnä (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · et peamiselt (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · uk головни́м чи́ном (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · nl voornamelijk (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · uk перева́жно (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ba башлыса (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · cmn 主要地 (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ca principalment (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · be гало́ўным чы́нам (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · uk го́ловно (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ro îndeosebi (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · bg главно (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ro mai cu seamă (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi pääasiassa (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi pitkälti (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ru в основно́м (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ro mai ales (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · it sostanzialmente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · sv huvudsakligen (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · gl fundamentalmente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · es mayormente (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · de hauptsächlich (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fi pääasiallisesti (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · yi דער עיקר (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · nrf prîncipalement (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · ja おもに (chiefly; certainly for the most part) · fr principalement (chiefly; certainly for the most part)