manhood
The time or state when a boy has become a grown man.
The condition or status of being an adult male.
Qualities people often expect from men, like courage or strength.
Qualities culturally associated with adult men, especially courage, strength, and resolve.
A polite or literary word for a man's penis.
A euphemistic or literary term for the penis.
A man's ability to have sex, especially to get and keep an erection.
A man's sexual potency or virility, especially the ability to have erections and sexual intercourse.
All the adult men in a place, often used in writing about war.
The adult male population of a country or community, especially as fighting men.
- Base: manhood
- Plural: manhood
a test of manhood
1ordeal proving masculinity
A difficult thing used to judge if someone has 'manly' qualities.
- The long march was seen as a test of manhood.
- They called the initiation a test of manhood, which many criticized.
attain manhood
1achieve adult male status
To become an adult man (formal style).
- He attained manhood far from home.
- In that culture, a public ritual marks the moment a boy attains manhood.
come to manhood
1grow into a man
To grow up and become a man (literary).
- He came to manhood in a time of unrest.
- Three brothers came to manhood under their aunt's care.
from boyhood to manhood
1transition from boy to man
The change from being a boy to being a man.
- The memoir follows him from boyhood to manhood.
- The rite marks the step from boyhood to manhood.
in his early manhood
1during early adult manhood
At the beginning part of his adult life as a man.
- In his early manhood, he traveled widely.
- The letters are from his early manhood.
loss of manhood
1becoming impotent
Becoming unable to have an erection or to have sex.
- The ad warned about the loss of manhood.
- He feared the loss of manhood after the treatment.
prove one's manhood
1show masculine qualities
To try to show bravery or other traits people expect from men.
- He risked everything to prove his manhood.
- No one should have to prove their manhood to be respected.
question someone's manhood
1doubt someone's masculinity
To say or suggest that someone lacks 'manly' qualities.
- The coach's remarks questioned his manhood.
- She refused to let anyone question her son's manhood over a mistake.
reach manhood
1become an adult man
To become a grown man.
- He reached manhood while working on the farm.
- Many cultures have ceremonies for boys who reach manhood.
the flower of a nation's manhood
1the finest adult men
The best or most promising adult men in a country.
- The war cost the flower of the nation's manhood.
- Poets mourned the flower of their manhood lost overseas.