amain

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈmeɪn/
• Rhymes: -eɪn

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From a- +‎ main (“strength, power, force”).

Alternative forms

• amaine (obsolete)

Adverb

amain (comparative more amain, superlative most amain)

1. (literary) With all one's might; forcefully, violently; mightily. [from 16th c.]
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.6:

     So likewise turnde the Prince upon the Knight, / And layd at him amaine with all his will and might.

   • 1670, John Milton, The History of Britain, that Part especially now called England; from the first traditional Beginning, continued to the Norman Conquest. Collected out of the antientest and best Authours thereof, The Second Book:

     They on the hill, which were not yet come to blows, perceiving the fewness of their enemies, came down amain.

   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398, lines 637–638, page 42:

     Under his ſpecial eie / Abſtemious I [Samson] grew up and thriv'd amain; / He led me on to mightieſt deeds / Above the nerve of mortal arm / Againſt the uncircumciſ'd, our enemies.

   • 1793, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Christabel, line 87:

     They spurred amain, their steeds were white:

   • 1799, William Wordsworth, The Two-Part Prelude, Book I:

     Suspended by the blast which blew amain,

     Shouldering the naked crag, oh at that time,

     While on the perilous ridge I hung alone,

     With what strange utterance did the loud dry wind

     Blow through my ears!

2. (archaic) At full speed; in great haste. [from 16th c.]
   • (Can we date this quote by Holinshed and provide title, author's full name, and other details?)

     They fled amain.

   • 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene i]:

     Iris: […] her [Juno's] Peacocks flye amaine : […]

   • (Can we date this quote?) Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Chimes, VII, lines 5-6:

     The heavy rain it hurries amain

     And heaven and the hurricane.

3. (archaic) Exceedingly; overmuch.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398, line 430, page 115:

     They whom I favour thrive in wealth amain, […]

4. (Britain dialectal) Out of control.
   • 1790, Felling/Heworth, Errington:

     two waggons coming after me amain […]

Translations

in a forceful manner

• Russian: си́льно (ru) (sílʹno), и́зо (ízo) всех (vsex) сил (sil) (ízo vsex sil)

at full speed

• Russian: бы́стро (ru) (býstro), сломя (slomja) голову (golovu) (slomjá gólovu), на (na) полной (polnoj) скорости (skorosti) (na pólnoj skórosti)

See also

• mainly

Etymology 2

From French amener.

Verb

amain (third-person singular simple present amains, present participle amaining, simple past and past participle amained)

1. (nautical) To lower the topsail, in token of surrender; to yield.

Anagrams

• -mania, Amina, Maina, Mania, amnia, anima, mania

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Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Norse almanna (“for everyone”).

Adjective

amain m

1. (Jersey) of easy use

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Tagalog

Noun

amaín

1. uncle