Mainspring
noun
The most important part of a mechanical watch or clock.
If the mainspring of the watch is damaged, the entire mechanism will stop working.
Often appears as...
- damaged mainspring
- mainspring of a watch
noun
The main or most important influence, factor, or reason for something.
His hard work is the mainspring of his success.
Often appears as...
- mainspring of success
- mainspring of life
noun
The most important part of a mechanical watch or clock.
If the mainspring of the watch is damaged, the entire mechanism will stop working.
Often appears as...
- damaged mainspring
- mainspring of a watch
noun
The main or most important influence, factor, or reason for something.
His hard work is the mainspring of his success.
Often appears as...
- mainspring of success
- mainspring of life
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Vital Component
Refers to an essential element in mechanical devices, particularly in timepieces.
A watchmaker must handle the mainspring with care as it's crucial for the watch's function.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphoric Use
In non-technical contexts, 'mainspring' can be used metaphorically to express the importance of an element.
Passion is often the mainspring behind an artist's creativity.
Pro Tip 3/3Technical Context
Most common in discussions about watches, clocks, or mechanics.
The antique clock stopped because its mainspring broke.
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catalyzeengineoriginsourcespring
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Video examples
Want to be happy? Be...
and that's very central to your concerns. There is something that we know about everyone we meet anywhere in the world, on the street, that is the very mainspring of whatever they do
Video examples
Want to be happy? Be...
and that's very central to your concerns. There is something that we know about everyone we meet anywhere in the world, on the street, that is the very mainspring of whatever they do
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
John Burroughs
American Author
The type of mind of Whitman's, which seldom or never emerges as a mere mentality, an independent thinking and knowing faculty, but always as a personality, always as a complete human entity, never can expound itself, because its operations are synthetic and not analytic; its mainspring is love and not mere knowledge.
Quote examples
Lysander Spooner
American Philosopher
Men's moral principles are weak enough without their being made subordinate to selfishness; and their selfishness is quite active enough, without any such effort as Christianity makes to constitute it the mainspring of all their conduct.
Quote examples
Marquis de Sade
French Novelist
The imagination is the spur of delights... all depends upon it, it is the mainspring of everything; now, is it not by means of the imagination one knows joy? Is it not of the imagination that the sharpest pleasures arise?
Quote examples
Guy Finley
American Writer
Resistance to revelation, resistance to becoming conscious of all that dwells within us - high and low, light and dark - is the anti-change factor. It is also the mainspring of all our psychological fears.
Quote examples
Clarence Day
American Author
Creatures whose mainspring is curiosity enjoy the accumulating of facts far more than the pausing at times to reflect on those facts.
Quote examples
Oriana Fallaci
Italian Journalist
It is the mainspring of life, courage. And courage has many faces.
Quote examples
Max Beerbohm
English Actor
Incongruity is the mainspring of laughter.
Quote examples
John Burroughs
American Author
The type of mind of Whitman's, which seldom or never emerges as a mere mentality, an independent thinking and knowing faculty, but always as a personality, always as a complete human entity, never can expound itself, because its operations are synthetic and not analytic; its mainspring is love and not mere knowledge.
Quote examples
Lysander Spooner
American Philosopher
Men's moral principles are weak enough without their being made subordinate to selfishness; and their selfishness is quite active enough, without any such effort as Christianity makes to constitute it the mainspring of all their conduct.
Quote examples
Marquis de Sade
French Novelist
The imagination is the spur of delights... all depends upon it, it is the mainspring of everything; now, is it not by means of the imagination one knows joy? Is it not of the imagination that the sharpest pleasures arise?
Quote examples
Guy Finley
American Writer
Resistance to revelation, resistance to becoming conscious of all that dwells within us - high and low, light and dark - is the anti-change factor. It is also the mainspring of all our psychological fears.
Quote examples
Clarence Day
American Author
Creatures whose mainspring is curiosity enjoy the accumulating of facts far more than the pausing at times to reflect on those facts.
Quote examples
Oriana Fallaci
Italian Journalist
It is the mainspring of life, courage. And courage has many faces.
Quote examples
Max Beerbohm
English Actor
Incongruity is the mainspring of laughter.
Example 1 of 7
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