a grown male person, not a boy
A friendly man held the door open for Maya.
The old man told stories about the sea.
✦ Old English mann, originally meaning a human being regardless of gender; later specialized to adult male.
all human beings considered together
Man has always sought to explore the unknown.
Climate change is a challenge that man must face responsibly.
✦ Same root as Sense 1; the collective meaning survives from the original gender-neutral use.
a playing piece used in board games such as chess, checkers, or backgammon
Hannah crowned her last man and won the game of checkers.
A captured man is removed from the board immediately.
✦ Extended sense from the idea of each piece representing a person in battle-like board games.
used to express surprise, admiration, frustration, or other strong feelings (informal)
Man! That movie was amazing.
Man, I totally forgot my keys.
✦ Developed mid-20th century in American slang, probably from addressing a friend as “man”.
to staff or operate a place, vehicle, or piece of equipment, especially during a period of duty
Two engineers man the control room during each night shift.
Soldiers were ordered to man the watchtowers.
✦ From the noun, originally meaning ‘to furnish with men’. Earliest recorded use in the 14th century.
