maillon, n.m., stitch, running knot.
*maillot, n.m., swaddling-band; swaddling-clothes; (of acrobats) tights, fleshings. Enfant au —; child in arms.
*maillure, n.f., (hawking) spots, speckles.
main, n.f., hand; handwriting; lead, trick, deal (at cards); hook (at the end of a well-rope); handle; hand-shovel; body-loop (of carriages); paw (of some animals). — de papier; quire of paper. En lever la —; to take one’s oath to anything. En mettre la — au feu; to stake one’s life on anything. Mettre l’épée à la —; to draw one’s sword. Mettre le pain à la — à quelqu’un; to put any one in the way of making a livelihood. Donner la — à quelqu’un; to give one’s hand to any one, to assist any one, to give any one a helping hand. Baiser les —s à quelqu’un; to kiss any one’s hands. Tendre la —; to hold out one’s hand, to lend a helping hand. Donner les —s à une chose; to consent to a thing. Cheval de —; led horse. Cela est sous votre —; that is under your very nose. Il est sous sa —; he is dependent upon him; he is in his power. Mettre la — sur quelqu’un; to lay hands upon any one. Il n’y va pas de — morte; he strikes hard, he hits with a vengeance. Tenir la — à quelque chose; to take anything in hand, to see that a thing is done. Un coup de —; (milit.) bold, unexpected attack, surprise; a bold stroke. Tour de —; sleight of hand. En venir aux —s; to come to blows. En être aux —; to be engaged (of troops). Faire — basse sur; to lay violent hands on, to plunder. Tenir la — haute à quelqu’un; to keep a tight hand over any one. Il l’a fait haut la —; he did it as easily as could be. Mettre la dernière — à un ouvrage; to put the finishing stroke to a work. Battre des —s; to clap one’s hands. Faire crédit de la — à la bourse; to trust no further than one can see. Mettre la — à une chose; to set one’s hand to a thing. Mettre la — à la pâte; to put one’s shoulder to the wheel. Faire — basse sur; to plunder, to kill, to slaughter; to seize, to lay hands on. Il a la — bonne; he is very handy. Mettre la — à l’œuvre; to set about a work. Mettre la dernière — à une chose; to put the finishing touch to anything. Être en —; to be in hand, to have in hand. Avoir la — légère; to be free with one’s hand. Lâcher la —; to give the rein, to give head; to give more liberty; to lower one’s pretensions. J’ai toujours l’argent à la —; I am always laying out money. Se faire la —; to keep one’s hand in. Se perdre la —; to get rusty. Il en a les —s nettes; his hands are clean of it. Je m’en lave les —s; I wash my hands of it. J’en mettrais ma — au feu; I would stake my life on it. Ils se tiennent tous par la —; they go hand in hand together. Les —s m’en sont tombées; I was amazed, astounded. Froides —s, chaudes amours; cold hand, warm heart. Avoir la —; to have the deal, to lead, to play first. Avoir la — crochue; to be light-fingered. De la — à la bouche, se perd souvent la soupe; there’s many a slip between the cup and the lip. À la —; in hand, by hand; ready. Une chambre grande comme la —; a room not fit to swing a cat in. A deux —s; with both hands. À pleines —s; largely, liberally, plentifully. À toutes —s; fit for anything; (man.) fitted to ride and drive. A — armée; by main force. À la portée de la —; within reach. De longue —; long since, of old standing. De — en —; from one to another, from hand to hand. En un tour de —; in a trice, in a twinkling. Sous —; underhand, clandestinely. Sous la —; at hand. En —; in hand. Hors —, hors la —; off-side. En — propre; personally, into one’s own hands. — courante; (com.) waste-book.
main chaude, n.f., hot cockles (game).
main-d’œuvre, n.f., (—s-—) workmanship, handicraft, manual labor, hand labor.
mainette, n.f., (bot.) coral club-top.
main-forte, n.f., (n.p.) assistance, help, aid. Prêter — à quelqu’un; to lend a helping hand to any one.
mainlevée, n.f., (jur.) replevin; withdrawal; raised hand.
mainmise, n.f., (jur.) seizure.