English noun: mainstay | |||
| 1. | mainstay (person) a prominent supporter | ||
| Samples | He is a pillar of the community. | ||
| Synonyms | pillar | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | admirer, booster, champion, friend, protagonist, supporter | ||
| 2. | mainstay (cognition) a central cohesive source of support and stability | ||
| Samples | Faith is his anchor. The keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money. He is the linchpin of this firm. | ||
| Synonyms | anchor, backbone, keystone, linchpin, lynchpin | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | support | ||
| 3. | mainstay (artifact) the forestay that braces the mainmast | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | forestay | ||