English Explanatory Dictionary

mainstay

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A chief support.
  2. Someone or something that can be depended on to make a regular contribution.
  3. A stabilising rope from high on the mainmast to the base of the foremast.

Pronunciation

/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mainstay.wav

Word forms

mainstay mainstays

Etymology

From Middle English main stai, equivalent to main + stay (“rope”).

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on M Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary