different between topsail vs amain

English

Etymology

From Middle English topsail, topsayl, topseyle, topsaill, equivalent to top +? sail.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?t?p.se?l/, /?t?p.s?l/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?t?p.se?l/, /?t?p.s?l/

Noun

topsail (plural topsails)

1. (nautical) A sail or either of the two sails rigged just above the course sail and supported by the topmast on a square-rigged sailing ship.
2. (nautical) In a fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat, the sail that is set above the gaff at the top part of the mast.

Translations

Anagrams

• 'ospital, apostil

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /??me?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Etymology 1

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 mæ?en (“strength”), from Proto-Germanic *magin? (“might, power, strength”), *maginaz (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *meg?- (“to be able”).

Adverb

amain (comparative more amain, superlative most amain)

1. (archaic, literary) With all of one's might; mightily; forcefully, violently. [from 16th c.]
2. (archaic) At full speed; also, in great haste. [from 16th c.]
3. (Britain, dialectal) Out of control.
4. (obsolete) Exceedingly; overmuch.

Alternative forms

• amaine (obsolete)

Related terms

• main
• mainly (“(obsolete) forcefully, vigorously”)
• might and main

Translations

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish amainar (“to reef a sail (take in part of a sail to adapt its size to the force of the wind); to abate, die down, subside; to ease off, let up; of a person: to calm down, control one’s anger”); further etymology uncertain, probably from a regional Italian (Naples) word (compare Italian ammainare (“to lower or reef (a flag, sail, etc.)”)), from Vulgar Latin *invag?nare (“to sheathe (a sword); to put away, stow”), from Latin in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + v?g?na (“scabbard, sheath; covering, holder; vagina”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wag- (“cover; sheath”)).

Verb

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

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

References

Further reading

• “AMAIN, adv.” in Joseph Wright, editor, The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume I (A–C), London: Published by Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1898, ?OCLC, page 47, column 2.

Anagrams

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

Norman

Etymology

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

Adjective

amain m

1. (Jersey) of easy use

Tagalog

Noun

amaín

1. uncle

Yola

Etymology

From Middle English amen, from Latin ?m?n.

Interjection

amain

1. amen

References

• Jacob Poole (1867) , William Barnes, editor, A glossary, with some pieces of verse, of the old dialect of the English colony in the baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, J. Russell Smith, ?ISBN