man
gb/mˈæn/ us/mˈæn/
A1
English
~ 200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Adult human male
A grown-up boy; an adult male person.
Usage pattern:
[a/an] man
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'man' with 'men' (plural form).
Synonyms
male (More general term for the sex; can refer to animals or humans.)
|
gentleman (Politer or more formal term, often implying good manners.)
Antonyms
woman (Refers to an adult human female.)
Collocations
young man
|old man
|tall man
|married man
|business man
Themes
people
|daily life
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The man sitting by the window is my uncle.
- A man in a blue suit walked into the room.
- She married a kind and generous man.
- The police are looking for a man in his thirties.
Learner examples
- The man is tall.
- I see a man in the park.
- That man is my teacher.
- A man is in the car.
Noun
B1
entity
2
Human being (general)
A person; any human being, not just male.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'man' always means male; context matters when it means humans in general.
Synonyms
human (Neutral term for any member of the species Homo sapiens.)
|
person (Everyday neutral term for an individual human.)
Antonyms
animal (Non-human living creature.)
Collocations
mankind
|early man
|modern man
Themes
people
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Man has always sought to explore new places.
- Early man lived in small groups.
- The discovery changed how man understood the universe.
Learner examples
- Man needs water to live.
- Early man made tools from stone.
- Man can travel to the moon.
Verb
B2
action
3
Operate or staff a position
To work at or be in control of something, like a machine or station.
Usage pattern:
to man [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'manage'; 'man' here is about staffing or operating, not overseeing tasks broadly.
Synonyms
staff (Focuses on providing people to operate or manage something.)
|
operate (Focuses on controlling or running machinery or systems.)
Antonyms
vacate (Leave a position or place unstaffed.)
Collocations
man the station
|man the controls
|man the desk
Themes
work
|military
|technology
|law
Examples
- Soldiers were ordered to man the watchtower.
- She manned the front desk during the night shift.
- Volunteers manned the information booth at the festival.
Learner examples
- He will man the desk today.
- They man the boat during the race.
- We man the shop on weekends.
exclamation
informal
B1
action
4
Exclamation of surprise/emphasis
A word you say to show strong feelings like surprise or excitement.
Synonyms
wow (Expresses surprise or admiration; more neutral.)
|
gee (Milder exclamation, often old-fashioned.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Man, that was an incredible game!
- Man, I can't believe we missed the bus.
- Man, you look tired today.
Learner examples
- Man, that is big!
- Man, I am hungry!
- Man, this is hard!
Grammar
Dictionary form
man
IPA
GB/mˈæn/
US/mˈæn/
Syllables & stress
man (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (man)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: man
- Plural: men
Verb
- Base: man
- 3rd Person Singular: mans
- Present Participle: manning
- Past: manned
Word family
Forms
men
noun
mans
verb
manning
verb
manned
verb
Core family
man-made
adjective B1
mankind
noun B1
Related words
gentleman
noun A2
manly
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
woman
noun A1
unmanned
adjective B2
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: manning Verb
- Irregular past: manned Verb
Expressions
man up
1/mˈæn ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Be brave and responsible
To be brave and do what you must, even if it is hard or scary.
Examples
- You need to man up and tell her the truth.
- He finally manned up and apologized for his mistake.
man's best friend
1/mˈænz bˈɛst fɹˈɛnd/
idiom
Domestic dog as a companion
A dog; called this because dogs are loyal and friendly to people.
Examples
- Dogs are often called man's best friend because they are so loyal.
- For many people, a dog really is man's best friend.
man-to-man talk
1/mˈæn tə mˈæn tˈɔk/
fixed phrase
Direct talk between two men
A serious and honest talk between two men about something important.
Examples
- They had a man-to-man talk about his future plans.
- I think it's time we had a man-to-man talk.
the man of the house
1/ðə mˈæn əv ðə hˈaʊs/
fixed phrase
Adult male head of household
The adult male who is seen as leading or responsible for the family at home.
Examples
- When his father died, John became the man of the house.
- He likes to think he's the man of the house.