main street

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main street

Main Street is lined with small shops and a cafe.

Definition

Noun: 1. The primary commercial street of a town or city: This is the most common meaning, referring to the central street, often called "Main Street," where many shops, banks, and businesses are located. 2. The ordinary people and businesses of a town, or their collective attitudes and interests: This figurative meaning represents the typical residents, small businesses, and the conventional, sometimes conservative, values of a community, often contrasted with the interests of big corporations or government elites.

Examples of Usage
  • Literal meaning (primary street):
    • The new bakery is located on Main Street.
    • The parade will go straight down Main Street.
  • Figurative meaning (ordinary people/businesses):
    • The new tax policy is designed to help Main Street, not Wall Street.
    • Politicians often claim to speak for the values of Main Street.
Advanced Usage
  • "Main Street vs. Wall Street": A common contrast in U.S. discourse, symbolizing the conflict or difference in interests between the average American public/small businesses (Main Street) and the large financial institutions and corporate elite (Wall Street).
    • The economic debate often centers on what's best for Wall Street versus what's best for Main Street.
Variants and Related Words
  • High Street: The British English equivalent for the primary shopping street in a town.
  • Downtown: The central business district of a city, which often contains the main street.
Synonyms
  • Primary thoroughfare
  • Town center (for the literal meaning)
  • The public
  • The common man (for the figurative meaning)
Related Idioms
  • "To be (straight) out of Main Street, USA": Used to describe something or someone as being typical of traditional, small-town American values and lifestyle.
    • With his friendly demeanor and strong community spirit, he seemed straight out of Main Street, USA.
main street

Main Street is lined with small shops and a cafe.

Noun
  1. any small town (or the people who inhabit it); generally used to represent parochialism and materialism (after a novel by Sinclair Lewis)
    • Main Street will never vote for a liberal politician
  2. street that serves as a principal thoroughfare for traffic in a town

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