mainstay

CEFRC1

/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
noun
A person or thing that provides essential support.
02
noun
Extra detail
A stabilising rope from high on the mainmast to the base of the foremast.

Examples

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Deep Dive

Extra meanings

In context

Agriculture is the mainstay of this country’s economy.
As with most other railways, freight revenue is the mainstay of the balance sheet. In Canada, passenger revenue is only about one-tenth that of freight.
At the other extreme, we have that true maid-of-all-work type, the 0-6-0, the mainstay of goods, shunting, and often of passenger work right from the earliest days to the present time.

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At the other extreme, we have that true maid-of-all-work type, the 0-6-0, the mainstay of goods, shunting, and often of passenger work right from the earliest days to the present time.
1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 319
As with most other railways, freight revenue is the mainstay of the balance sheet. In Canada, passenger revenue is only about one-tenth that of freight.
1959 November, J. N. Westwood, “The Railways of Canada”, in Trains Illustrated, page 555
Oil is the mainstay of Nigeria's economy.
2000, Jedrzej George Frynas, Oil in Nigeria, →ISBN
Conventional radiography has a major role in, and remains the mainstay of, initial evaluation and follow-up of rheumatologic disease.
2014, Marc C. Hochberg, Alan J. Silman, Josef S. Smolen, Rheumatology, →ISBN, page 307
On the Bishops Stortford line, the crisis now seems to be over; the units designed for this service are the mainstay of the workings once again and although some of the inner suburban sets are still seen, very few L.T.S. Line units are noticeable.
1963 January, “Motive power miscellany”, in Modern Railways, page 65

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