I. ˈman, in compounds ˌman or mən noun
( plural men ˈmen, in compounds ˌmen or mən)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English man, mon human being, male human; akin to Old High German man human being, Sanskrit manu
Date: before 12th century
1.
a.
(1) : an individual human ; especially : an adult male human
(2) : a man belonging to a particular category (as by birth, residence, membership, or occupation) — usually used in combination
council man
(3) : husband
(4) : lover
b. : the human race : mankind
c. : a bipedal primate mammal ( Homo sapiens ) that is anatomically related to the great apes but distinguished especially by notable development of the brain with a resultant capacity for articulate speech and abstract reasoning, is usually considered to form a variable number of freely interbreeding races, and is the sole living representative of the hominid family ; broadly : any living or extinct hominid
d.
(1) : one possessing in high degree the qualities considered distinctive of manhood
(2) obsolete : the quality or state of being manly : manliness
e. : fellow , chap — used as mode of familiar address
f. — used interjectionally to express intensity of feeling
man , what a game
2.
a. : individual , person
a man could get killed there
b. : the individual who can fulfill or who has been chosen to fulfill one's requirements
she's your man
3.
a. : a feudal tenant : vassal
b. : an adult male servant
c. plural : the working force as distinguished from the employer and usually the management
4.
a. : one of the distinctive objects moved by each player in various board games
b. : one of the players on a team
5. : an alumnus of or student at a college or university
a Bowdoin man
6. Christian Science : the compound idea of infinite Spirit : the spiritual image and likeness of God : the full representation of Mind
7. often capitalized : police
when I heard the siren, I knew it was the Man — American Speech
8. often capitalized : the white establishment : white society
surprise that any black…should take on so about The Man — Peter Goldman
9. : one extremely fond of or devoted to something specified
strictly a vanilla ice cream man
• man·less ˈman-ləs adjective
• man·like -ˌlīk adjective
•
- as one man
- one's own man
- to a man
II. transitive verb
( manned ; man·ning )
Date: 12th century
1.
a. : to supply with people (as for service)
man a fleet
b. : to station members of a ship's crew at
man the capstan
c. : to serve in the force or complement of
man the ticket booth
2. : to accustom (as a hawk) to humans and the human environment
3. : to furnish with strength or powers of resistance : brace
III. abbreviation
manual