Mainspring definition

Mainspring





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3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  mainspring \main"spring`\, n.
     The principal or most important spring in a piece of
     mechanism, especially the moving spring of a watch or clock
     or the spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence:
     (Fig.) The chief or most powerful motive; the efficient cause
     of action; as, the mainspring of action.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  mainspring
       n : the most important spring in a mechanical device (especially
           a clock or watch); as it uncoils it drives the mechanism

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  38 Moby Thesaurus words for "mainspring":
     ambition, aspiration, basis, calling, cause, consideration, font,
     fount, fountain, fountainhead, goal, ground, guiding light,
     guiding star, headspring, headstream, headwater, ideal,
     inspiration, intention, lodestar, matter, mine, motive, principle,
     quarry, reason, riverhead, sake, score, source, spring, springhead,
     ulterior motive, vocation, well, wellhead, wellspring
  
  

















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