1 man
Pronounced:
/ˈmæn/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural men /ˈmɛn/ Meaning:
1 [count] : an adult male human being ▪ He was a shy boy, but he grew to be a strong and confident man. ▪ He's a grown man now. ▪ The movie is popular with men and women. ▪ He's a man of great talent. = He's a very talented man. ▪ a good/bad man
2 : a man or boy who shows the qualities (such as strength and courage) that men are traditionally supposed to have [count] ▪ Don't cry, little boy: be a man! ▪ A few years in the army will make a (real) man (out) of you! [noncount] ▪ Are you man enough to meet the challenge?
3 : a woman's husband or boyfriend [count] ▪ Who's the new man in her life? = Who's her new man? [noncount] ▪ I now pronounce you man [=husband] and wife. —see also old man
4 a [count] : an individual human being : person ▪ Time waits for no man. [=for no one] ▪ the differences between men [=people] and beasts/animals ▪ He believes that all men are created equal. b [noncount] : the human race ▪ prehistoric man ▪ It's not a fit night out for man or/nor beast. [=for people or animals] ▪ the problems facing modern man [=the human race in modern times] ◊Senses 4a and 4b are now sometimes avoided because they are considered sexist.
5 [count] —used when you are talking to a man ▪ (chiefly US, informal) Hey, man, how are you? ▪ (old-fashioned) Pull yourself together, man! ▪ Okay, men, let's go out there and win! ▪ (US, informal) Hey, my man! It's good to see you! ▪ (chiefly Brit, old-fashioned) My good man, can you tell me where the railroad station is?
6 [count] : a male worker who goes to people's homes ▪ The furnace man came to repair the heater.
7 men [plural] : a group of male workers, soldiers, etc. ▪ The men have threatened to go on strike. ▪ He led his men into battle against overwhelming odds.
8 [count] a : a man who does a particular kind of work ▪ a medical/military man b : a man who has a specified job or position or who belongs to a specified category of worker —used in combination ▪ a councilman ▪ Has the mailman come yet? ▪ He's a shrewd businessman. c : a man who works for or represents a particular person or organization ▪ our man in Washington ▪ He spoke with the president's man.
9 [count] old-fashioned : a male servant —usually singular ▪ My man will show you to your room.
10 [count] a somewhat old-fashioned : a male student or former student at a college or university ▪ He's a Harvard man. b : a man who comes from or lives in a specified town, city, etc. —used chiefly by journalists ▪ One of the accident victims has been identified as a Boston man.
11 [count] : a man who likes something very much or who is known for some activity or interest ▪ I'm strictly a vanilla ice cream man. [=I'm a man who likes vanilla ice cream]
12 [singular] a : a person who can do what is needed ▪ If you need someone to help organize the files, I'm/he's/she's your man! [=I'm/he's/she's the person you need for the job] b : the person someone (such as a police officer) is looking for ▪ He matches the description, but I don't think he's our man. ▪ a detective who always gets his man [=catches the criminal]
13 [count] : one of the pieces in a game like chess or checkers
2 : a man or boy who shows the qualities (such as strength and courage) that men are traditionally supposed to have [count] ▪ Don't cry, little boy: be a man! ▪ A few years in the army will make a (real) man (out) of you! [noncount] ▪ Are you man enough to meet the challenge?
3 : a woman's husband or boyfriend [count] ▪ Who's the new man in her life? = Who's her new man? [noncount] ▪ I now pronounce you man [=husband] and wife. —see also old man
4 a [count] : an individual human being : person ▪ Time waits for no man. [=for no one] ▪ the differences between men [=people] and beasts/animals ▪ He believes that all men are created equal. b [noncount] : the human race ▪ prehistoric man ▪ It's not a fit night out for man or/nor beast. [=for people or animals] ▪ the problems facing modern man [=the human race in modern times] ◊Senses 4a and 4b are now sometimes avoided because they are considered sexist.
5 [count] —used when you are talking to a man ▪ (chiefly US, informal) Hey, man, how are you? ▪ (old-fashioned) Pull yourself together, man! ▪ Okay, men, let's go out there and win! ▪ (US, informal) Hey, my man! It's good to see you! ▪ (chiefly Brit, old-fashioned) My good man, can you tell me where the railroad station is?
6 [count] : a male worker who goes to people's homes ▪ The furnace man came to repair the heater.
7 men [plural] : a group of male workers, soldiers, etc. ▪ The men have threatened to go on strike. ▪ He led his men into battle against overwhelming odds.
8 [count] a : a man who does a particular kind of work ▪ a medical/military man b : a man who has a specified job or position or who belongs to a specified category of worker —used in combination ▪ a councilman ▪ Has the mailman come yet? ▪ He's a shrewd businessman. c : a man who works for or represents a particular person or organization ▪ our man in Washington ▪ He spoke with the president's man.
9 [count] old-fashioned : a male servant —usually singular ▪ My man will show you to your room.
10 [count] a somewhat old-fashioned : a male student or former student at a college or university ▪ He's a Harvard man. b : a man who comes from or lives in a specified town, city, etc. —used chiefly by journalists ▪ One of the accident victims has been identified as a Boston man.
11 [count] : a man who likes something very much or who is known for some activity or interest ▪ I'm strictly a vanilla ice cream man. [=I'm a man who likes vanilla ice cream]
12 [singular] a : a person who can do what is needed ▪ If you need someone to help organize the files, I'm/he's/she's your man! [=I'm/he's/she's the person you need for the job] b : the person someone (such as a police officer) is looking for ▪ He matches the description, but I don't think he's our man. ▪ a detective who always gets his man [=catches the criminal]
13 [count] : one of the pieces in a game like chess or checkers
a fine figure of a man —see 1figure
as one man
old-fashioned now usually used of a group of men : as a group : all together ▪ The audience rose as one man [=everyone in the audience stood up] and cheered.
be/become your own man
: to be or become a man who is not controlled by other people or who is able to support himself without the help of other people ▪ He left home and moved to the city to become his own man.
every man for himself
—used to describe a situation in which people do not help each other and each person has to take care of himself or herself ▪ As soon as there was a crisis, it was every man for himself.
iron man —see 2iron
man of action —see action
man of the hour —see hour
man's best friend
—used to refer to a dog or to dogs as a group ▪ She devotes her life to helping man's best friend.
poor man's —see poor
separate the men from the boys —see 2separate
the man
US informal 1 or the Man somewhat old-fashioned : the police ▪ He got in trouble with the Man and ended up in jail.
2 or the Man also The Man : the white people who are seen as having power in the U.S. : the white establishment ▪ He got a job working for the Man.
3 : a man who is admired or respected as a leader or as the best man in a particular field, sport, etc. ▪ The other players on the team all know that he's the man. ▪ You're the man! = (very informal) You the man! = (very informal + humorous) You da man!
2 or the Man also The Man : the white people who are seen as having power in the U.S. : the white establishment ▪ He got a job working for the Man.
3 : a man who is admired or respected as a leader or as the best man in a particular field, sport, etc. ▪ The other players on the team all know that he's the man. ▪ You're the man! = (very informal) You the man! = (very informal + humorous) You da man!
the man in the street or Brit the man on the Clapham omnibus
: the ordinary and average person ▪ What does the man in the street think about it?
the odd man out —see odd
to a man
—used to say that all the members in a group of men said, did, or thought the same thing ▪ He worried that some of his friends might object, but, to a man, they supported his decision. [=all of them supported his decision]
to the last man
: until all the men in a group are killed, defeated, etc. ▪ They vowed to fight to the last man.