Adjacent Words

Manual definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MAN'UAL, a. [L. manualis, from manus, the hand.]
1. Performed by the hand; as manual labor or operation.
2. Used or made by the hand; as a deed under the king's sign manual.
MAN'UAL, n. A small book, such as may be carried in the hand, or conveniently handled; as a manual of laws.
1. The service book of the Romish church.
Manual exercise, in the military art,the exercise by which soldiers are taught the use of their muskets and other arms.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of or relating to the hands; "manual dexterity"
2: requiring human effort; "a manual transmission" [ant: automatic]
3: doing or requiring physical work; "manual labor"; "manual laborer" n
1: a small handbook
2: (military) a prescribed drill in handling a rifle [syn: manual of arms, manual]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English manuel, from Anglo-French, from Latin manualis, from manus hand; akin to Old English mund hand and perhaps to Greek mar? hand Date: 15th century 1. a. of, relating to, or involving the hands <manual dexterity> b. worked or done by hand and not by machine <a manual transmission> <manual computation> <manual indexing> 2. requiring or using physical skill and energy <manual labor> <manual workers> • manually adverb II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a book that is conveniently handled; especially handbook <an instruction manual> 2. the prescribed movements in the handling of a weapon or other military item during a drill or ceremony <the manual of arms> 3. a. a keyboard for the hands; specifically one of the several keyboards of an organ or harpsichord that controls a separate division of the instrument b. a device or apparatus intended for manual operation

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 of or done with the hands (manual labour). 2 (of a machine etc.) worked by hand, not automatically. --n. 1 a a book of instructions, esp. for operating a machine or learning a subject; a handbook (a computer manual). b any small book. 2 an organ keyboard played with the hands not the feet. 3 Mil. an exercise in handling a rifle etc. 4 hist. a book of the forms to be used by priests in the administration of the Sacraments. Phrases and idioms: manual alphabet sign language. Derivatives: manually adv. Etymology: ME f. OF manuel, f. (and later assim. to) L manualis f. manus hand

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Manual Man"u*al (m[a^]n"[-u]*al), a. [OE. manuel, F. manuel, L. manualis, fr. manus hand; prob. akin to AS. mund hand, protection, OHG. munt, G. m["u]ndel a ward, vormund guardian, Icel. mund hand. Cf. Emancipate, Legerdemain, Maintain, Manage, Manner, Manure, Mound a hill.] 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. Manual exercise (Mil.) the exercise by which soldiers are taught the use of their muskets and other arms. Seal manual, the impression of a seal worn on the hand as a ring. Sign manual. See under Sign.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Manual Man"u*al, n. [Cf. F. manuel, LL. manuale. See Manual, a.] 1. 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. This manual of laws, styled the Confessor's Laws. --Sir M. Hale. 2. (Mus.) 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). 3. (Mil.) A prescribed exercise in the systematic handing of a weapon; as, the manual of arms; the manual of the sword; the manual of the piece (cannon, mortar, etc.).

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(manuals) 1. Manual work is work in which you use your hands or your physical strength rather than your mind. ...skilled manual workers... They have no reservations about taking factory or manual jobs. = blue-collar ? clerical ADJ: usu ADJ n 2. Manual is used to talk about movements which are made by someone's hands. (FORMAL) ...toys designed to help develop manual dexterity. ADJ: ADJ n 3. Manual means operated by hand, rather than by electricity or a motor. There is a manual pump to get rid of the water. ADJ: ADJ n • manually The device is manually operated, using a simple handle. ADV: ADV with v 4. A manual is a book which tells you how to do something or how a piece of machinery works. ...the instruction manual. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Of the hand, by the hand. II. n. Hand-book.

Moby Thesaurus

Sefer Torah, Torah, Torah scroll, Virginal, abecedarium, abecedary, alphabet book, battledore, breviary, canon, casebook, choir, church book, claviature, compendium, console, cookbook, cookery book, directions, echo, eighty-eight, enchiridion, euchologion, euchology, exercise book, farse, field guide, fingerboard, formulary, gradus, grammar, great, guide, guidebook, handbook, hornbook, how-to book, instructions, ivories, keyboard, keys, lectionary, litany, machzor, manual of instruction, missal, nature book, ordinal, organ manual, pedals, piano keys, pontifical, prayer book, primer, reader, ritual, rituale, rubric, schoolbook, service book, siddur, solo, speller, spelling book, swell, t, text, textbook, travel book, vade mecum, workbook