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The farm attached to a mansion house. [Scot.]

The principal sail in a ship or other vessel. [They] hoised up the mainsail to the wind. Acts xxvii. 40.

One of the ropes by which the mainsail is hauled aft and trimmed.

The principal or most important spring in a piece of mechanism, especially the moving spring of a watch or clock or the spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence: The chief or most powerful motive; the efficient cause of action.

Main support; principal dependence. The great mainstay of the Church. Buckle.

To swear falsely. [Obs.] Blount.

Respects; compliments. [Obs.]

A form of conductor, designed by Ferranti, for currents of high potential, and consisting of concentric tubes of copper separated by an insulating material composed of paper saturated with black mineral wax.

Arrest of development of any organ, so that it remains an imperfect formation or is absorbed.

at-, assimilating the d with the first letter of the word to which ad- is prefixed. It remains unchanged before vowels, and before d, h, j, m, v. Examples: adduce, adhere, adjacent, admit, advent, accord, affect, aggregate, allude, annex, appear, etc. It becomes ac- before qu, as in acquiesce.

A taste which remains in the mouth after eating or drinking.

A cake of wax stamped with such a figure. It is made from the remains of the paschal candles and blessed by the Pope.

A unit, employed in calculating fall of pressure in distributing mains, equivalent to a current of one ampère flowing through one foot of conductor.

devoted to the study of ancient times through their relics, as inscriptions, monuments, remains of ancient habitations, statues, coins, manuscripts, etc.; one who searches for and studies the relics of antiquity.

a more limited sense, a relic or object of ancient art; collectively, the antique, the remains of ancient art, as busts, statues, paintings, and vases. Misshapen monuments and maimed antiques. Byron.

The science or study of antiquities, esp. prehistoric antiquities, such as the remains of buildings or monuments of an early epoch, inscriptions, implements, and other relics, written manuscripts, etc.

That which is behind in payment, or which remains unpaid, though due; esp. a remainder, or balance which remains due when some part has been paid; arrearage; -- commonly used in the plural, as, arrears of rent, wages, or taxes. Locke. For much I dread due payment by the Greeks Of yesterday's arrear. Cowper. I have a la…

That which remains unpaid and overdue, after payment of a part; arrears. The old arrearages . . . being defrayed. Howell.

Specifically: The remains of the human body when burnt, or when "returned to dust" by natural decay. Their martyred blood and ashes sow. Milton. The coffins were broken open. The ashes were scattered to the winds. Macaulay.

To contract, as a sail, into a narrower compass; as, to balance the boom mainsail. Balanced valve. See Balance valve, under Balance, n.