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first, inaugural, initial, original, pioneer, premier—more at FIRST

maid·en·hair fern noun : any of a genus of ferns with delicate feathery fronds

maid·en·head noun 1 : VIRGINITY

2 : HYMEN

maid·en·hood noun : the condition or time of being a maiden

maid–in–waiting noun, plural maids–in–waiting : a young woman appointed to attend a queen or princess

maid of honor : a bride's principal unmarried wedding attendant

maid·ser·vant noun : a girl or woman who is a servant

Synonyms

domestic, housemaid, maid—more at MAID

1mail noun [ORIGIN: ME male bag, fr. AF, of Gmc origin]

1 : something sent or carried in the postal system

2 : a nation's postal system — often used in pl.

2mail verb : to send by mail

3mail noun [ORIGIN: ME maille metal link, mail, fr. AF, fr. L macula spot, mesh]

: armor made of metal links or plates

mail·box noun 1 : a public box for the collection of mail

2 : a private box for the delivery of mail

mail carrier noun : LETTER CARRIER

mail·man noun : a man who delivers mail

Synonyms

letter carrier, postman—more at POSTMAN

maim verb : to mutilate, disfigure, or wound seriously : CRIPPLE

Synonyms

cripple, disable, lame, mutilate; also dismember, hamstring, hobble; batter, bruise, bung (up), mangle, maul, rough (up); gore, lacerate, wound; disfigure, scar; break, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure; bash, beat, belt, bludgeon, buffet, drub, hammer, lace, lambaste, lick, paste, pelt, pound, pummel, thump; bang, box, hit, punch, slap, smack, smash, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thrash, thwack, whack; flog, lash, wallop, whip; kill, murder; torment, torture

1main noun 1 : physical strength : FORCE

2 : MAINLAND; also : HIGH SEA

3 : the chief part

4 : a principal pipe, duct, or circuit of a utility system

Synonyms

[1] energy, force, might, muscle, potency, power, sinew, strength, vigor—more at POWER

[3] body, bulk, core, generality, mass, staple, weight—more at BODY

2main adjective 1 : of greatest importance or influence : CHIEF, PRINCIPAL

2 : fully exerted <~ force>

3 : expressing the chief predication in a complex sentence

Synonyms

arch, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, key, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primary, principal, sovereign, supreme—more at FOREMOST

main·frame noun : a large fast computer

main·land noun : a continuous body of land constituting the chief part of a country or continent

main·line verb, slang

: to inject a narcotic drug into a vein

main line noun : a principal highway or railroad line

main·ly adverb : for the most part : CHIEFLY

Synonyms

altogether, basically, chiefly, generally, largely, mostly, overall, predominantly, primarily, principally—more at CHIEFLY

main·mast noun : the principal mast on a sailing ship

main·sail noun : the largest sail on the mainmast

main·spring noun 1 : the chief spring in a mechanism (as of a watch)

2 : the chief motive, agent, or cause

main·stay noun 1 : a stay running from the head of the mainmast to the foot of the foremast

2 : a chief support

Synonyms

buttress, dependence, pillar, reliance, standby, support—more at DEPENDENCE

main·stream noun : a prevailing current or direction of activity or influence

— mainstream adjective

main·tain verb [ORIGIN: ME mainteinen, fr. AF maintenir, maynteiner, fr. ML manutenēre, fr. L manu tenēre to hold in the hand]

1 : to keep in an existing state (as of repair)

2 : to sustain against opposition or danger

3 : to continue in : CARRY ON

4 : to provide for : SUPPORT

5 : to affirm in or as if in argument : ASSERT

Synonyms

[1] conserve, keep up, preserve, save; also support, sustain; care (for), husband, manage; defend, guard, protect, safeguard, screen, shield; cure, fix, heal, remedy; mend, patch, rebuild, reconstruct

[2] defend, justify, support, uphold; also advocate, champion, espouse; confirm, vindicate, warrant; affirm, assert, avow, claim, contend, declare, insist, proclaim, profess,