SkyfireDict

mainstay   (TTS Sound)

The noun mainstay has 3 senses

• pillar, mainstay -- (a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community")


• anchor, mainstay, keystone, backbone, linchpin, lynchpin -- (a central cohesive source of support and stability; "faith is his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm")


• mainstay -- (the forestay that braces the mainmast)