main·stay /ˈmenˌste/
 支柱,中流砥柱


 Main·stay n.
 1. Naut. The stay extending from the foot of the foremast to the maintop.
 2. Main support; principal dependence.
    The great mainstay of the Church.   --Buckle.

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 mainstay
      n 1: a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community"
           [syn: pillar]
      2: a central cohesive source of support and stability; "faith
         is his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the
         ban on soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm"
         [syn: anchor, keystone, backbone, linchpin, lynchpin]
      3: the forestay that braces the mainmast