mæn n. & v. --n. (pl. men) 1 an
adult human male,
esp. as
distinct from a
woman or
boy. 2 a a human
being; a
person (no man is perfect). b human beings in
general;
the human race (man is mortal). 3 a person
showing characteristics associated
with males (she's
more of a man
than he is). 4 a a
worker; an
employee (the
manager spoke to the men). b a
manservant or
valet. c
hist. a
vassal. 5 a (usu. in pl.) soldiers, sailors,
etc., esp. non-officers (was in
command of 200 men). b an
individual, usu. male, person (fought to the last man). c (usu. prec. by the, or poss. pron.) a person regarded as
suitable or
appropriate in
some way; a person fulfilling requirements (I'm
your man;
not the man
for the job). 6 a a
husband (man
and wife). b colloq. a
boyfriend or
lover. 7 a a human being of a specified
historical period or
character (Renaissance man). b a
type of
prehistoric man named
after the
place where the
remains were found (Peking man; Piltdown man). 8
any one of a set of pieces used in playing
chess, draughts, etc. 9 (as second
element in comb.) a man of a specified
nationality,
profession,
skill, etc. (Dutchman;
clergyman;
horseman; gentleman). 10 a an
expression of impatience etc. used in addressing a male (nonsense, man!). b colloq. a general
mode of
address among hippies etc. (blew my
mind, man!). 11 (prec. by a) a person; one (what can a man do?). 12 a person pursued; an
opponent etc. (the
police have so
far not
caught their man). 13 (the Man) US sl. a the police. b Blacksl.
White people. 14 (in comb.) a
ship of a specified type (merchantman; Indiaman). --v.tr. (manned, manning) 1 supply (a ship,
fort,
factory, etc.) with a person or people for
work or
defence etc. 2 work or service or
defend (a specified
piece of
equipment, a
fortification, etc.) (man the pumps). 3 Naut. place
men at (a
part of a ship). 4
fill (a post or office). 5 (usu. refl.)
fortify the spirits or
courage of (manned
herself for the task). øas one man in
unison; in
agreement. be a man be
courageous; not
show fear. be one's
own man 1 be
free to
act; be
independent. 2 be in full
possession of one's faculties etc. man
about town a
fashionable man of
leisure. man and boy from
childhood. man-at-arms (pl. men-at-arms)
archaic a
soldier, esp.
when heavily armed and mounted. man
Friday see FRIDAY. man-hour (or
day etc.) an
hour (or day etc.) regarded in terms of the
amount of work
that could be
done by one person
within this period. man in the
moon the
semblance of a
face seen on the
surface of a full moon. man in (US on) the
street an
ordinary average person, as distinct from an
expert. man-made (esp. of a
textile fibre)
made by man,
artificial,
synthetic. man of
God 1 a clergyman. 2 a male
saint. man of
honour a man
whose word can be trusted. man of the
house the male
head of a
household. man of letters a
scholar; an
author. man of the
moment a man of
importance at a
particular time. man of
straw 1 an
insubstantial person; an
imaginary person set up as an opponent. 2 a stuffed
effigy. 3 a person
undertaking a
financial commitment without adequate means. 4 a
sham argument set up to be defeated. man-of-war an armed ship, esp. of a specified
country. man of the
world see WORLD. man-size (or -sized) 1 of the size of a man;
very large. 2
big enough for a man. man to man with
candour;
honestly. men's (or men's room) a usu.
public lavatory for men. my (or my good) man a patronizing mode of address to a man.
separate (or
sort out) the men from the boys colloq.
find those who are
truly virile,
competent, etc. to a man
all without
exception. øømanless adj. [OE man(n), pl. menn, mannian, f. Gmc]