[Saxon a, and mægn, force, strength]. This was the old word to an enemy for "yield," and was written amayne and almayne. Its literal signification is, with force or vigour, all at once, suddenly; and it is generally used to anything which is moved by a tackle-fall, as "lower amain!" let run at once. When we used to demand the salute in the narrow seas, the lowering of the top-sail was called striking amain (see strike, to), and it was demanded by the wave amain (see waving), or brandishing a bright sword to and fro.