A 主要的，最重要的 of greater size, importance, or influence than others; chief

　the ～ building　主楼
　the ～ business　主要工作
　the ～ canal　主渠
　the ～ course　主菜
　the ～ entrance　大门
　the ～ figure　主要人物
　the ～ forces　主力
　the ～ hero　主角
　the ～ idea　主要的想法
　the ～ item　主要项目
　the ～ objective　宗旨
　the ～ picture　（电影的）正片
　the ～ point　主要论点
　the ～ purpose　主要目的
　the ～ river　主要河流
　the ～ road　主干道
　the ～ sail　主帆
　the ～ shops　主要的商店
　the ～ street　大马路
　the ～ strength　全力
　the ～ thing　主要事情
　the ～ wall　主墙
　the ～ work　主要著作
　the ～ writers　最重要的作家

　Their main business was cattle-raising.　他们的主要工作是饲养牲畜。
　You must remember the main thing.　你一定要记住最主要的事情。
　We can sum up the main point of the lesson in three sentences.　我们可以用三句话来概括本课要点。
　The teacher sketched out the main point of the article.　老师扼要地叙述了文章的要点。
　We avoided the enemy's main forces and struck at his weak spots.　我们避开敌人主力，打击他们的弱点。
　It's time to serve up the main course.　该上主菜了。
　Food supplies were scheduled to be a main item on the agenda.　食物供应被列为议事日程上的一个主要项目。
　One main idea possessed her.　一个主要的想法支配着她。
　In a fierce argument, it is often difficult to keep hold of one's main point.　在激烈的辩论中，一个人很难把握住自己的主要论点使之不走样。
　Keep the background colours dark so that the main figure will show more clearly.　背景的色调要暗，这样主要人物就会更突出了。
　Reading this book, we can identify with the main character.　读这本书的时候，我们会对主人公产生共鸣。
　What are the main rivers of your country?　你们国家的主要河流有哪些?
　These bungalows are detached from the main building.　这些平房和主楼是不相连的。
　This room was joined on the main house last year.　去年我们把这间屋和堂屋连接起来。
　Tell the children to look out when they cross the main street.　告诉孩子们过大马路时要当心。
　The woodwork sticks out from the main wall.　主墙上装的木器探出墙面。
　Once we were on the main road, the car really opened up.　我们上了主路后，汽车才开起来。
　We shopped all the main shops.　我们为了购物把主要的商店都逛遍了。
　This key opens the main entrance.　用这把钥匙可进入大门。
　Next, they started to structure the main canal.　然后他们开始修建主渠。
　Let out the main sail, let's make use of this wind!　主帆打开，让我们乘风前进！
　She is one of the main writers of her period.　她是她那个时期最重要的作家之一。
　This guide book points out the main facts of early American history.　这本导游手册讲述了美洲早期的重要史实。
　Who is acting the part of the main hero in the play?　谁在扮演剧中的主要角色?
　They sang on for hours after the main party broke up.　在聚会上多数人散去后，他们接着唱了几个小时。
　While the main party of climbers remained at base camp, two men were sent up to the top of the mountain.　大部分人员留在大本营，而派两个人先爬上山顶。

 ♣ main, capital, chief, principal
　参见capital条。

P （水、煤气等的）总管道，（电力、铁路等的）干线 the chief pipe supplying water or gas, or a chief wire carrying electricity, into a building from outside

　main　用作名词时意思是（水、煤气等的）“总管道”，电力、铁路等的“干线”等，多用于复数形式。

　break out into ～s　开辟总管道
　dredge the ～　疏通总管道
　fix ～　铺设（水、煤气等的）总管道
　form ～　形成总管道
　hit ～　击中（水、煤气等的）总管道
　lay ～　安装（水、煤气等的）总管道
　relay ～　重新铺设（水、煤气等的）总管道
　resume ～　恢复总管道
　alternate ～　备用总管道
　blocked ～　堵塞的（水、煤气等的）总管道
　burst ～　破裂的（水、煤气等的）总管道
　secret ～s　秘密总管道
　drain ～　排水管道
　exhaust ～　排气管道
　feed ～　供给管道
　gas ～　煤气管道
　steam ～　蒸汽管道
　through ～　通过管道

　Water is supplied from the mains.　水是从总管道来的。
　Water flushed through the mains.　水在总管道中奔流。
　The main of the house needs repairing.　这房子的排水管需要修理。
　There was a block in the main and the water couldn't flow away.　总管道内有阻塞物，水不能流走。
　The workmen dug a large hole, mended the main, and then filled the hole in again.　工人们挖了个大洞，修补好总管道，然后又把洞填平。

 ♣ in the main
　主要　mostly
　English derives in the main from the common Germanic stock.　英语主要源于日耳曼语系。
　The strike was broken, of course, but in the main by a series of adventitious developments.　罢工是中断了，但主要还是由于发生了一系列意外事件。

　［同义词］ adj. chief, foremost, primary n. cable, channel, duct, line, pipe
　［反义词］ adj. secondary, trivial
　［词源］　古英语mægen<古挪威语magn（大，力量）