main thing

collocation in English

meaningsofmainandthing

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withthing.
main
adjective[before noun]
uk
/meɪn/us
/meɪn/
larger, more important, or having more influence than others of the ...
See more atmain
thing
noun
uk
/θɪŋ/us
/θɪŋ/
used to refer in an approximate way to an object or to avoid ...
See more atthing

(Definition ofmainandthingfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofmain thing

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Themainthingfor us was that a march provided a platform for the music.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Ourmainthingwas getting food to eat.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthingthat distinguishes our current approach is the explicit use of three-valued logic.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I and my husband receive help and that is themainthingfor us.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthingis that we'll be together.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It seems to me that themainthingthat actors should be taught now is diction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
That is themainthingneeded today.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthingto notice is that the semantics follows precisely a conservative subset of the programmer-level idea of the "real" semantics of x86 machine code.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthinghere is that no one of us is entitled to convert her or his moral convictions into legal regulations.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Moreover, and this is themainthing, these very propositions, maxims and values are the most important and worthwhile goals of every endeavor.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthingthat made the 'sixties and 'seventies a golden age was that we were all young.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Hence, it follows that themainthingthe child needs to learn in order to comprehend text is to recognize single printed words.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Perhaps themainthingwas ambition.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Independence was therefore inevitable, and themainthingwas to prevent anarchy and the influence of totalitarian powers.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Themainthingis that you got to retain your sense of humour because without that you are lost.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Up until now, themainthingwas the transposition of the acquis itself.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Themainthingis that clear policy is adopted on the choice of legal basis.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Themainthingis that we should not let them down in this aspiration.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Gentlemen, you came late, but themainthingis that you came.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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