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Mainly vs Chiefly - What's the difference?

mainly | chiefly |

As adverbs the difference between mainly and chiefly

is that mainly is forcefully, vigorously while chiefly is especially or primarily; above all.

As an adjective chiefly is

of, or relating to a chief.

mainly

English

Adverb

(-)
  • (label) Forcefully, vigorously.
  • * , III.i:
  • Mainly they all attonce vpon him laid, / And sore beset on euery side around.
  • (label) Of the production of a sound: loudly, powerfully.
  • *, II.31:
  • But in the end, mainly crying out, he fell to raling and wringing his master, upbraiding him that he was not a true Philosopher.
  • (label) To a great degree; very much.
  • Chiefly; for the most part.
  • *, chapter=12
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=She had Lord James' collar in one big fist and she pounded the table with the other and talked a blue streak. Nobody could make out plain what she said, for she was mainly jabbering Swede lingo, but there was English enough, of a kind, to give us some idee.}}

    chiefly

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (focus) especially or primarily; above all
  • (focus) mainly or principally; almost entirely
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of, or relating to a chief
  • English focus adverbs