amain

Meaning

Adv

1. (archaic, literary) With all of one's might; mightily; forcefully, violently.
2. (archaic) At full speed; also, in great haste.
3. (British, dialectal) Out of control.
4. (obsolete) Exceedingly; overmuch.

Verb

1. (obsolete, transitive) To lower (the sail of a ship, particularly the topsail).
2. (figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To decrease or reduce (something).
3. (intransitive, obsolete) To lower the topsail in token of surrender; to yield.

Synonyms

violently

extremely

exceedingly

greatly

grossly

highly

hugely

keenly

largely

mickle

mighty

much

remarkably

sorely

urgently

vehemently

very

big time

like blue murder

enormously

Translations

βίαια

γρήγορα

δυνατά

grandement

molto

multum

krachtig

ras

snel

sterk

vlug

grandemente

muy

a escape

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈmeɪn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mayn

Inherited from Old English: mæġen

In summary

From a- (prefix with the sense ‘at; in; on; with’, used to show a state, condition, or manner) + main (“force, power, strength”). Main is derived from Middle English mayn (“strength”), from Old English mæġen (“strength”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą (“might, power, strength”), *maginaz (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able”).