manual
UK /ˈmæn.j(ʊ)əl/ · US /ˈmæn.j(u)əl/ noun, adjective, proper noun
Forms manuals manuall
- noun Synonym of handbook.
- noun A booklet that instructs on the usage of a particular machine or product. “The dishwasher isn't working; can you remember where we put the manual?”
- noun (military) A drill in the use of weapons, etc.
- noun (Christianity, historical) An old office-book like the modern Roman Catholic ritual.
- noun (music) A keyboard on an organ.
- adjective (of an activity) Performed with the hands.
- adjective (of a machine, device etc.) Operated by means of the hands.
- adjective Performed by a human rather than a machine. “The teacher urged the students to do a manual check, because some errors aren't picked up by the spell checker.”
- noun (automotive) A manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator. “Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics.”
- noun (metonymically) A vehicle with a manual transmission. “I'm not used to automatics; I've always driven manuals.”
- noun (music) A keyboard for the hands on a harpsichord, organ, or other musical instrument.
- noun A manual typewriter (as contrasted with an electronic one).
- noun (medicine, colloquial) Manual measurement of the blood pressure, done with a manual sphygmomanometer. “do a manual”
- noun A bicycle technique whereby the front wheel is held aloft by the rider, without the use of pedal force.
- noun A similar maneuver on a skateboard, lifting the front or back wheels while keeping the tail or nose of the board from touching the ground.
- noun (uncountable) Manual control or operation. “Put the controls to manual.”
- proper noun A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.
Synonyms
handbook handly stick shift stick standard transmission standard manual of arms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English manuel, from Old French manuel, from Late Latin manuāle (“handbook, manual”).
From Middle English manuel, from Anglo-Norman manuel, Old French manual, from Latin manuālis, from manus (“hand”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to the hand; done or made by the hand; as, manual labor; the king's sign manual. "Manual and ocular examination." Tatham. Manual alphabet. See Dactylology.
- noun A small book, such as may be carried in the hand, or conveniently handled; a handbook; specifically, the service book of the Roman Catholic Church.
- noun A keyboard of an organ or harmonium for the fingers, as distinguished from the pedals; a clavier, or set of keys. Moore (Encyc. of Music).
Etymology [OE. manuel, F. manuel, L. manualis, fr. manus hand; prob. akin to AS. mund hand, protection, OHG. munt, G. mündel a ward, vormund guardian, Icel. mund hand. Cf. Emancipate, Legerdemain, Maintain, Manage, Manner, Manur, Mound a hill.]
Etymology [Cf. F. manuel, LL. manuale. See Manual, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “manual”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details