manly
adjectiveadverbcommon in dialogue
- //ˈmænli//
Having the characteristics of a man.
adjective
- 1
Having the characteristics of a man.
what God or Feend, or ſpirit of the earth, Or Monſter turned to a manly ſhape, Or of what mould or mettel he be made, What ſtar or ſtate ſoeuer gouern him, Let vs put on our meet incountering mindes, […]
- 2
Having qualities viewed as befitting a man; masculine, manful, courageous, resolute, noble.
Let's briefly put on manly readiness.
Serene and manly, harden'd to sustain / The load of life.
"I hope that she will be as happy as I should have tried to make her," said Enniscorthy rather shakily. […] "A very manly way of taking it and very properly expressed—very well indeed," declared Mr. Carlyle with warm approval as the door closed. "Max, that is the outcome of good blood—blood and breeding."
Without a successful defense of one's city, none of the other virtues would be possible; manly courage seems to be a precondition for anything else worth achieving in life.
Etymology
From Middle English manli, manlich, manly, from Old English *manlīċ (suggested by adverb manlīċe (“in a way befitting a person; nobly, stately”)), from Proto-West Germanic *mannlīk, from Proto-Germanic *mannlīkaz, equivalent to man + -ly (adjectival suffix). Cognate with Old High German manlīh (“manly”) (whence German männlich), Dutch mannelijk, Old Norse mannligr (“human”) (Danish mandlig, Swedish manlig).
adverb
- 1
In a way befitting a man.
[Y]ou will not only confer a favor on them but if appointed will add two Officers to our Army who will fight manly to defend their Country.
“[…] Permit me to bandage it, while, at the same time, I tell you how well Hamet did leading the charge.” “Did he?” Eaton questioned. “He did! and he did it manly! Our rightful heir for once behaved more like a ruler than I ever would have imagined. I believe he won quite a few converts this day.”
The crowd loves those who fight manly and nobly, but it laughs at those who are pathetic cowards. If any gladiator were to run off at the mere sight of his opponent raising his sword, he would be mocked as feeble and effeminate and inexperienced.
Etymology
From Middle English manli, manlich, manly, from Old English manlīċe, equivalent to man + -ly (adverbial suffix).
Forms
- comparative
- manlier
- superlative
- manliest