mainspring

3 definitions found

mainspring - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  mainspring \main"spring`\, n.
     The principal or most important spring in a piece of
     mechanism, especially the moving spring of a watch or clock
     or the spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence:
     (Fig.) The chief or most powerful motive; the efficient cause
     of action; as, the mainspring of action.
     [1913 Webster]

mainspring - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  mainspring
      n 1: the most important spring in a mechanical device
           (especially a clock or watch); as it uncoils it drives the
           mechanism

mainspring - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  38 Moby Thesaurus words for "mainspring":
     ambition, aspiration, basis, calling, cause, consideration, font,
     fount, fountain, fountainhead, goal, ground, guiding light,
     guiding star, headspring, headstream, headwater, ideal,
     inspiration, intention, lodestar, matter, mine, motive, principle,
     quarry, reason, riverhead, sake, score, source, spring, springhead,
     ulterior motive, vocation, well, wellhead, wellspring