Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
the most important spring in a mechanical device (especially a clock or watch);
as it uncoils it drives the mechanism;
The 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]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
mainspring
n 1: the most important spring in a mechanical device
(especially a clock or watch); as it uncoils it drives the
mechanism
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