man / man/ • n. (pl. men / men/ ) 1. an adult human male. ∎  a male worker or employee: more than 700 men were laid off CNN's man in India. ∎  a male member of a sports team: Johnson took the ball past three men and scored. ∎  (men) ordinary members of the armed forces as distinct from the officers: he had a platoon of forty men to prepare for battle. ∎  a husband, boyfriend, or lover: the two of them lived for a time as man and wife. ∎  a male person associated with a particular place, activity, or occupation: a Harvard man I'm a solid union man. ∎  a male pursued or sought by another, esp. in connection with a crime: Inspector Bull was sure they would find their man. ∎ dated a manservant or valet: get me a cocktail, my man. ∎ hist. a vassal.2. a human being of either sex; a person: God cares for all races and all men. ∎  (also Man) [in sing.] human beings in general; the human race: places untouched by the ravages of man. ∎  [in sing.] an individual; one: a man could buy a lot with eighteen million dollars. ∎  a person with the qualities often associated with males such as bravery, spirit, or toughness: she was more of a man than any of them. ∎  [in sing.] a type of prehistoric human named after the place where the remains were found: Cro-Magnon man.3. (usu. the Man) inf. a group or person in a position of authority over others, such as a corporate employer or the police: it was a vicarious way of powerless people being able to stick it to the Man. ∎ black slang white people collectively regarded as the controlling group in society: he urged that black college athletes boycott the Man's Rose Bowl.4. a figure or token used in playing a board game.• v. (manned, man·ning) [tr.] 1. (often be manned) provide (something, esp. a place or machine) with the personnel to run, operate, or defend it: the firemen manned the pumps and fought the blaze. ∎  provide someone to fill (a post or office): the chaplaincy was formerly manned by the cathedral.2. archaic fortify the spirits or courage of: he manned himself with dauntless air.• interj. inf. used, irrespective of the sex of the person addressed, to express surprise, admiration, delight, etc., or for emphasis: man, what a show!PHRASES: as —— as the next man as —— as the average person: I'm as ambitious as the next man.as one man with everyone acting together or in agreement: the crowd rose to their feet as one man.be someone's man be the person perfectly suited to a particular requirement or task: for any coloring and perming services, David's your man.be man enough for (or to do) be brave enough to do: who's man enough for the job? he has not been man enough to face up to his responsibilities.make a man out of someone (of an experience or person) turn a young man into a mature adult: I make men out of them and teach them never to let anyone outsmart them.man about town a fashionable male socialite.man and boy dated throughout life from youth: the time when families worked in the fields man and boy.the man in the moon the imagined likeness of a face seen on the surface of a full moon. ∎ fig. used, esp. in comparisons, to refer to someone regarded as out of touch with real life: a kid with no more idea of what to do than the man in the moon.the man in (or on) the street an ordinary person, often with regard to their opinions, or as distinct from an expert: it will be interesting to hear what the man in the street has to say about these latest tax cuts.man of actionsee action.man of the cloth a clergyman.man of God a clergyman. ∎  a holy man or saint.man of honor a man who adheres to what is right or to a high standard of conduct.man of the house the male head of a household.man of letters a male scholar or author.man of the moment a man of importance at a particular time.man of the worldsee world.man's best friend an affectionate or approving way of referring to the dog.a man's man a man whose personality is such that he is as popular and at ease, or more so, with other men than with women.man to man (or man-to-man) 1. in a direct and frank way between two men; openly and honestly: he was able to talk man to man with the delegates | a man-to-man chat. 2. denoting a defensive tactic in a sport such as football or basketball in which each player is responsible for defending against one opponent: Washington's cornerbacks are fast enough to cover man-to-man.men in white coats humorous psychiatrists or psychiatric workers (used to imply that someone is mad or mentally unbalanced): I wondered how much more stupid I could get before the men in white coats would lead me away.separate (or sort out) the men from the boys inf. show or prove which people in a group are truly competent, brave, or mature.to a man without exception: to a man, we have all taken a keen interest in the business.DERIVATIVES: man·less adj.