Mainstay

Mainstay
Mainstay Main"stay`, n. 1. (Naut.) The stay extending from the foot of the foremast to the maintop. [1913 Webster]

2. Main support; principal dependence. [1913 Webster]

The great mainstay of the Church. --Buckle. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • mainstay — main‧stay [ˈmeɪnsteɪ] noun [countable usually singular] the most important part of something, that makes it possible for it to be successful or to continue to exist: mainstay of • Cod fishing was the mainstay of the Newfoundland economy,… …   Financial and business terms

  • mainstay — I noun anchor, assurance, backbone, backer, bastion, brace, bulwark, buttress, champion, chief reliance, cornerstone, crutch, deliverance, dependence, foundation, help, keystone, maintainer, nucleus, pillar, principal backer, principal maintainer …   Law dictionary

  • mainstay — (n.) chief support, 1787, figurative use of a nautical noun meaning stay which extends from the main top to the foot of the foremast (late 15c.), from MAIN (Cf. main) (adj.) + STAY (Cf. stay) (n.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • mainstay — [n] chief support anchor, backbone, brace, bulwark, buttress, crutch*, good right arm*, linchpin*, maintainer, pillar, prop, right hand person*, sinew, staff, standby, stay, strength, supporter, sustainer, upholder; concepts 646,712 …   New thesaurus

  • mainstay — ► NOUN 1) a stay which extends from the maintop to the foot of the foremast of a sailing ship. 2) the chief support or main part …   English terms dictionary

  • mainstay — [mān′stā΄] n. 1. a stay, or line, extending forward from the mainmast, supporting it and holding it in position 2. a chief support …   English World dictionary

  • Mainstay — This article is about the band. For Soviet AWACS aircraft with NATO designation Mainstay, see Beriev A 50. Mainstay Origin United States Genres Christian rock Years active 2001–2008 (On Hiatus) …   Wikipedia

  • mainstay — noun the mainstay of a) an important part of something that makes it possible for it to work properly or continue to exist: Agriculture is still the mainstay of the country s economy.b)someone who does most of the important work for a group or… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • mainstay — UK [ˈmeɪnˌsteɪ] / US noun [countable] Word forms mainstay : singular mainstay plural mainstays the person or thing that something depends on most in order to continue or be successful mainstay of: Oil exports are the mainstay of the economy …   English dictionary

  • mainstay — main|stay [ˈmeınsteı] n the mainstay of sth a) an important part of something that makes it possible for it to work properly or continue to exist ▪ Agriculture is still the mainstay of the country s economy. b) someone who does most of the… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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