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pinching her ear when she talks. 2 [U] the use of unnatural ways of representing things in art, according to a set of styles
**man·ners** /'mænəz||-ərz/ *n* [**P**] **1** (polite or generally accepted) social habits or ways of behaving: *His parents obviously didn't teach him (good) manners.* | *It's bad manners to eat like that.* → compare CHIVALRY, COURTESY, ETIQUETTE, TABLE MANNERS **2** *fml* social behaviour or ways of living, especially of a nation or group of people
**man·nish** /'mænɪʃ/ *adj* *derog* (of a woman) like a man in character, behaviour, or appearance → compare MANLY —**ly** *adv* —**ness** *n* [**U**]
**ma·noeu·vra·ble** *BrE* || **maneuverable** *AmE* /mə'nu:vərəbəl/ *adj* easy to move, direct, or especially turn: *a very light and manoeuvrable car* —**bility** /mə,nu:vərə'bɪləti/ *n* [**U**]
**ma·noeu·vre**¹ *BrE* || **maneuver** *AmE* /mə'nu:vər/ *n* **1** [often *pl.*] a large military movement or operation, especially done for training purposes: *military/naval manoeuvres* | *The regiment is abroad on manoeuvres.* **2** a skilful or carefully planned process intended to deceive, to gain an advantage, to get out of a difficult position etc: *There were secret manoeuvres to get him removed from the job.* | *We're well below budget on this project so there's plenty of room for manoeuvre.* (=to spend more time, try new methods etc)
**manoeuvre**² *BrE* || **maneuver** *AmE* — *v* [**I+adv/prep**;**T+obj+adv/prep**] to move or turn, especially skilfully: *The car manoeuvres very well in wet weather.* (=it is easy to control its direction) | *It was difficult to manoeuvre the piano through the door.* | (*fig.*) *By secretly buying company shares he manoeuvred himself into a controlling position.* → see also OUTMANOEUVRE
**,man of 'letters** *n* *fml* or *pomp* a writer whose work is highly respected
**,man of 'straw** *n* **1** especially *BrE* a person of weak character, especially one who is unable to make decisions **2** also **straw man** especially *AmE* an imaginary opponent whose arguments can easily be defeated
**,man-of-'war** also **man-o'-war** *n* *old use* a warship in the navy → see also PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR
**ma·nom·e·ter** /mə'nɒmɪtə||-'nɑ:-/ *n* an instrument for measuring the pressure of gases —**tric** /,mænə'metrɪk/ —**trically** /kli/ *adv*
**man·or** /'mænər/ *n* **1** the land belonging to a nobleman (the lord of the manor) under the FEUDAL system, some of which he kept for his own use, the rest being rented to farmers who paid by giving services, especially labour, and part of the crops they grew **2** a large house with land **3** *BrE* *slang* **a)** a police area **b)** an area that one lives or works in or knows well —**ial** /mə'nɔ:rɪəl/ *adj*: *manorial lands*
**'manor house** *n* the house in which the owner of manorial land lives
**man·pow·er** /'mæn,paʊər/ *n* [**U**] the number of workers needed for a certain type of work: *The police are seriously short of manpower.*
**man·qué** /'mɒŋke|mɑ:ŋ'keɪ/ *adj* [after *n*] who could have been but failed to be or did not become (something): *Our doctor paints beautiful pictures; I think he's really an artist manqué.*
**man·sard** /'mænsɑ:d||-ɑ:rd/ also **'mansard roof** *n* a roof with a lower and upper part, the lower having a steeper slope
**manse** /mæns/ *n* a house belonging to **a)** a Church of Scotland CLERGYMAN **b)** a Methodist or Nonconformist CLERGYMAN
**Man·sell, Ni·gel** /'mænsəl, 'naɪdʒəl/ (1954-) a British RACING CAR driver who was Formula One world CHAMPION in 1992
**man·ser·vant** /'mæn,sɜ:vənt||-sɜ:r-/ *n* especially *old use* a male servant, especially one who attends personally on a man; VALET → compare MAIDSERVANT
**Mans·field, Kath·e·rine** /'mænsfi:ld, 'kæθərɪn/ (1888-1923) a writer who was born in New Zealand but who lived in England. She is known especially for her short stories, and her best-known collection of stories is *The Garden Party*.
**man·sion** /'mænʃən/ *n* a large house, usually belonging to a wealthy person → see HOUSE (USAGE)
**,Mansion 'House** a large house in London, the official home of the LORD MAYOR of London, where official dinners are held
**man·sions** /'mænʃənz/ *n* [**P**] *BrE* (usually *cap.*) (in names of buildings) a building containing flats: *Flat 14, Stirling Mansions*
**'man-sized** also **'man-size** *adj* [**A**] *infml* (especially used in advertising) large enough for a man: *man-sized paper handkerchiefs* | *a man-sized helping of food*
**man·slaugh·ter** /'mæn,slɔ:tər/ *n* [**U**] *law* the crime of killing a person illegally (ILLEGAL) but not intentionally: *The driver was arrested on a charge of manslaughter.* → compare MURDER¹
**Man·son, Charles** /'mænsən/ (1934-) an American who had a group of followers that he called his 'family', who took drugs with him and regarded him as their religious leader. Under Manson's influence, his 'family' violently killed seven people in Los Angeles in 1969, including the actress Sharon Tate.
**Manson, Mar·i·lyn** /'mærɪlɪn/ (1969-) a US singer, COMPOSER, and actor. He and his band, Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids, play rock music and try to shock people. He is known for wearing white MAKE-UP, having long black hair, and having eyes that are two different colours. His songs include *Smells Like Children* and *The Dope Show*. His real name is Brian Warner.
**man·tel·piece** /'mæntlpi:s/ also **man·tel** /'mæntl/ *n* a frame surrounding a fireplace, especially the part on top which can be used as a shelf: *photographs on the mantelpiece*
**man·tel·shelf** /'mæntlʃelf/ *n* *pl.* **-shelves** /ʃelvz/ the top part of a mantelpiece, forming a shelf
**man·til·la** /mæn'tɪlə/ *n* a decorative piece of thin material worn as a SHAWL by Spanish women, covering the head and falling onto the shoulders
**man·tis** /'mæntɪs/ *n* → see PRAYING MANTIS
**man·tle**¹ /'mæntl/ *n* **1** [**C**] a loose article of outer clothing without SLEEVES worn in former times, like a CLOAK: (*fig.*) *a mantle of snow on the trees* **2** [**C** usually *sing.*] general or official recognition, especially of a person's importance or influence: *Now that he is dead, she has taken over his mantle as the leading scholar in this field.* **3** [**C**] a small cover with holes in it put over the flame of a gas or oil lamp to make it give more light **4** [**C**] a **mantle of snow/darkness etc** *lit* snow, darkness etc that completely covers an area **5** [**C**] *tech* the part of the Earth around the central CORE
**mantle**² *v* [**T**] *lit* to cover: *Snow mantled the trees.*
**Mantle, Mickey** (1931-95) a US BASEBALL player, known especially for his skill as a BATTER. He played in the New York Yankees team in the 1950s.
**,man-to-'man** *adj* [**A**] *infml* open and honest; without unnecessary formality: *man-to-man discussions* —**man-to-man** *adv*: *I think I should talk to him about it, man-to-man.*
**man·tra** /'mæntrə/ *n* **1** a piece of holy writing in the Hindu religion, especially from the Vedas **2** in Hinduism and Buddhism a word or sound repeated again and again as a prayer or to help MEDITATION (=deep religious thought)
**man·u·al**¹ /'mænjuəl/ *adj* of or using the hands: *manual dexterity* | *manual work* —**ly** *adv*: *You have to change gear manually in this car; it's not automatic.*
**manual**² *n* a (small) book giving information about how to do something, especially how to use a machine: *a car manual* → compare HANDBOOK
**,manual 'labour** *n* work done with the hands and not needing much thought or skill, e.g. factory work. It is generally thought of as the lowest kind of work.
**'manual ,worker** *n* a person whose job involves manual labour → see also BLUE-COLLAR
**Man·uel** /mænju'wel/ a character in the humorous British television programme FAWLTY TOWERS. Manuel is a Spanish waiter who does not speak or understand much English, so he is always asking 'Qué?', the Spanish word for 'What?'. People in the UK sometimes say this as a joke when they do not understand something.
**man·u·fac·ture**¹ /,mænju'fæktʃər/ *v* [**T**] **1** to make or produce especially by machinery or other industrial processes and usually in large quantities: *This firm manufactures*