manner
the usual way in which you behave towards other people, or the way you behave on a particular occasion
I found his manner extremely unpleasant.
There’s something about his manner I don’t like.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
manner
noun
1 the way that you do something or the way that something happens:
Don't get angry. Let's try to talk about this in a calm manner.
2 manners (plural) the way you behave when you are with other people:
It's bad manners to talk with your mouth full.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
manner
man‧ner S3 W2 /ˈmænə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: maniere 'way of acting, way of handling', from Latin manuarius 'of the hand', from manus 'hand']
1. [singular] formal the way in which something is done or happens
manner of (doing) something
It seemed rather an odd manner of deciding things.
He felt some guilt over the manner of her death.
in a ... manner
I had hoped you would behave in a more responsible manner.
The issue will be resolved in a manner that is fair to both sides.
criticism of the manner in which the bishop was appointed
in the usual/normal etc manner
The matter should be submitted to the accounts committee in the usual manner.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say in a ... way rather than in a ... manner, or they use an adverb instead:
▪ They behaved in a very reasonable way.
▪ They behaved very reasonably.
2. [singular] the way in which someone behaves towards or talks to other people:
She has a calm relaxed manner.
manner towards
Something in Beth’s manner towards him had changed.
Sophie resented his high-handed manner.
3. manners [plural] polite ways of behaving in social situations:
Her children all had such good manners.
It’s bad manners to talk with your mouth full (=talk and eat at the same time).
His manners were impeccable.
Dad gave us a lecture about our table manners.
You mind your manners, young man!
‘Lesley just got up and left.’ ‘Some people have no manners.’
Good heavens, child, where are your manners?
4. manners [plural] formal the customs of a particular group of people:
a book about the life and manners of Victorian London
5. in a manner of speaking in some ways, though not exactly:
‘Are you his girlfriend?’ Nicola asked. ‘In a manner of speaking.’
6. all manner of something formal many different kinds of things or people:
We would discuss all manner of subjects.
The British Isles have been conquered by all manner of people.
7. in the manner of somebody/something formal in the style that is typical of a particular person or thing:
a painting in the manner of the early Impressionists
8. what manner of ...? literary what kind of:
What manner of son would treat his mother in such a way?
9. not by any manner of means British English spoken formal not at all:
I haven’t lost my interest in politics by any manner of means.
10. (as) to the manner born if you do something new as to the manner born, you do it in a natural confident way, as if you have done it many times before
⇨ BEDSIDE MANNER, COMEDY OF MANNERS
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ verbs
▪ have good/bad manners All their children have such good manners.
▪ mind your manners (also remember your manners British English) (=used for telling a child to behave politely) I frowned at him and told him to mind his manners.
▪ have no manners (=regularly not behave politely) He has no manners and he eats like a pig.
▪ forget your manners (=behave in an impolite way) Oh, I’m forgetting my manners. Let me introduce you to Suzanne.
▪ teach somebody manners (=often used when criticizing someone’s impolite behaviour) Those girls need to be taught some manners!
■ phrases
▪ it’s good/bad manners to do something It’s bad manners to chew with your mouth open.
▪ where are your manners? British English (=used for telling a child to stop behaving impolitely) Jamie! Where are your manners?
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + manners
▪ good manners Good manners could not prevent her from asking the question.
▪ bad manners She apologized for her son’s bad manners.
▪ excellent/beautiful manners (=very good manners) Her children have excellent manners.
▪ perfect/impeccable manners Suddenly, his perfect manners were gone.
▪ nice manners (=good manners) She has such nice manners.
▪ table manners (=the polite way of eating at a table) My parents expected us to have good table manners.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ behaviour British English, behavior American English the way someone behaves: Chemicals added to food may be responsible for children’s bad behaviour. | Tatsuya apologized for his behaviour towards me.
▪ conduct formal the way someone behaves in public or in their job – used mainly in official or legal contexts: Bates was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct (=noisy and violent). | The committee found him guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct.
▪ manner the way someone behaves when they are talking to or dealing with other people, which is shown in their expression, their voice etc: She had a pleasant friendly manner. | Suddenly his whole manner changed, and he started shouting. | His initial manner towards her had been rather formal.
▪ demeanour British English, demeanor American English formal the way someone looks and behaves, which shows you something about their character or feelings: She maintained a calm demeanour at all times. | Wenger’s demeanour suggested that he was not happy with the situation.
▪ antics someone’s behaviour – used when you think it is silly, funny, strange, or annoying: The drunken antics of some English football fans has brought shame on the country. | The actor is becoming known for his increasingly bizarre off-screen antics.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
manner
man·ner [manner manners] [ˈmænə(r)] [ˈmænər] noun
1. singular (formal) the way that sth is done or happens
• She answered in a businesslike manner.
• The manner in which the decision was announced was extremely regrettable.
2. singular the way that sb behaves towards other people
• to have an aggressive/a friendly/a relaxed manner
• His manner was polite but cool.
see also bedside manner
3. manners plural behaviour that is considered to be polite in a particular society or culture
• to have good/bad manners
• It is bad manners to talk with your mouth full.
• He has no manners (= behaves very badly).
• She could at least have the good manners to let me know she won't be able to attend.
see also table manners
4. manners plural (formal) the habits and customs of a particular group of people
• the social morals and manners of the seventeenth century
Rem: or
Idioms: all manner of somebody ▪ in a manner of speaking ▪ in the manner of somebody ▪ the manner born ▪ what manner of …
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French maniere, based on Latin manuarius ‘of the hand’, from manus ‘hand’.
Thesaurus:
manner noun
1. sing. (formal)
• She answered in a business-like manner.
way • • style • • approach •
a manner/way/style of (doing) sth
in a (…) manner/way/style
a traditional/conventional/different/casual/informal/formal manner/way/style/approach
have/adopt a/an manner/way/style/approach
2. sing.
• She has a friendly, relaxed manner.
air • • appearance • • look •
sb's general manner/air/appearance
a confident manner/air/appearance
have a …manner/air/appearance/look
3. manners pl.
• It is bad manners to talk with your mouth full.
politeness • • etiquette • • courtesy • • respect • • grace • • formality • |formal civility •
good manners/grace
show manners/politeness/courtesy/respect
Example Bank:
• All claims must be settled in a professional and timely manner.
• Chemical waste must be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
• Didn't your parents teach you any manners?
• Files have been stored in such a haphazard manner that they are impossible to find.
• Forgive my manners. I forgot to introduce myself.
• He answered in such an off-hand manner that I wondered if he'd misheard me.
• He could at least have had the manners to answer my letter.
• He had very bad table manners.
• He lectured us in the manner of a headmaster.
• He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women.
• He told her in no uncertain manner that her actions were unacceptable.
• He was behaving in a highly suspicious manner.
• He was not as loutish as his manner suggested.
• He's a good doctor with a sympathetic bedside manner.
• Her brusque manner concealed a caring nature.
• Her lack of manners is appalling.
• His children have no table manners.
• His manner changed abruptly when he heard how much I wanted.
• His no-nonsense manner gave him the reputation of being a good doctor.
• I did my best to behave in the appropriate manner.
• I disliked him but I knew my manners so I answered his question.
• I got into trouble if I didn't show good manners towards/toward other people.
• I'm sorry, I was forgetting my manners. Can I offer you a drink?
• It's not good manners to stare at people.
• Now sit down and eat and mind your manners!
• She accused the teacher of not acting in a professional manner.
• She has a very pleasant telephone manner.
• The authoritative manner in which he talked concealed his ignorance.
• The dispute could have been handled in a more constructive manner.
• The inspection was conducted in a thoroughly professional manner.
• There was something in his manner that I found very irritating.
• You are not approaching the problem in the correct manner.
• His manner was polite but cool.
• She answered in a business-like manner.
• She has a friendly, relaxed manner.
• The manner in which the decision was taken is extremely regrettable.
• They shouldn't be treated in such an offhand manner.
• Your complaint should be dealt with in an efficient manner.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
manner / ˈmæn.ə r / / -ɚ / noun [ S ] (BEHAVIOUR)
B2 the usual way in which you behave towards other people, or the way you behave on a particular occasion:
She has a rather cold, unfriendly manner.
As soon as he realized that we weren't going to buy anything, his whole manner changed.
manner / ˈmæn.ə r / / -ɚ / noun (WAY)
B2 [ S ] the way in which something is done:
She stared at me in an accusing manner.
He was elected in the normal manner.
It was the manner of her death that stuck in the public's mind.
in the manner of sth in the style of something:
Her latest film is a suspense thriller very much in the manner of Hitchcock.
manner / ˈmæn.ə r / / -ɚ / noun (POLITE BEHAVIOUR)
manners B2 [ plural ] polite ways of treating other people and behaving in public:
He needs to be taught some manners.
It's bad manners to eat with your mouth open.
It's considered good manners in some societies to leave a little food on your plate.
manner / ˈmæn.ə r / / -ɚ / noun [ U ] formal (TYPE)
a type:
Very little is known about the new candidate - what manner of man is he?
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
manner
[mæ̱nə(r)]
♦♦♦
manners
1) N-SING: with supp The manner in which you do something is the way that you do it.
She smiled again in a friendly manner...
I'm a professional and I have to conduct myself in a professional manner...
The manner in which young children are spoken to varies depending on who is present.
Syn:
way
2) N-SING: with supp If something is done in the manner of something else, it is done in the style of that thing.
It's a satire somewhat in the manner of Dickens...
We kissed each other's cheeks in the European manner.
Syn:
style
3) N-SING: usu poss N Someone's manner is the way in which they behave and talk when they are with other people, for example whether they are polite, confident, or bad-tempered.
His manner was self-assured and brusque...
Her manner offstage, like her manner on, is somewhat surly.
Derived words:
-mannered COMB in ADJ-GRADED Forrest was normally mild-mannered, affable, and untalkative... The British are considered ill-mannered, badly dressed and unsophisticated.
4) N-PLURAL If someone has good manners, they are polite and observe social customs. If someone has bad manners, they are impolite and do not observe these customs.
He dressed well and had impeccable manners...
The manners of many doctors were appalling...
They taught him his manners.
5) → See also bedside manner, table manners
6) PHRASE: PHR n If you refer to all manner of objects or people, you are talking about objects or people of many different kinds.
Mr Winchester is impressively knowledgeable about all manner of things.
...her pictures of all manner of wildlife.
7) PHRASE: PHR with cl (vagueness) You say in a manner of speaking to indicate that what you have just said is true, but not absolutely or exactly true.
An attorney is your employee, in a manner of speaking...
`You said she was a poor widow lady!' - `In a manner of speaking she is,' Alison said.
Syn:
in a way
8) PHRASE: PHR n You use what manner of to suggest that the person or thing you are about to mention is of an unusual or unknown kind. [LITERARY]
There was much curiosity about what manner of man he was...
What manner of place is this?
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
manner
man·ner /ˈmænɚ/ noun, pl -ners
1 [singular] somewhat formal : the way that something is done or happens
• She has a very forceful manner of speaking.
• I objected to the manner in which the decision was made.
- often used after in
• Continue stirring in this manner until the sauce thickens.
• In this manner, we were able to save enough money for a new car.
• In what manner was the data collected? [=how was the data collected?]
• We worked in a quick manner. [=we worked quickly]
• She taught her class in an informal manner.
• He always begins his stories in the same manner.
• We were allowed to spend the money in any manner we wanted.
2 a [count] : the way that a person normally behaves especially while with other people - usually singular
• He had a gentle manner (about him).
• He listened patiently to his children, as was his manner.
• It was her energetic and friendly manner that got her the job.
- see also bedside manner
b manners [plural] : behavior while with other people
• His children have excellent manners. [=his children behave very well]
• It's bad manners [=it is impolite] to talk with your mouth full.
c manners [plural] : knowledge of how to behave politely while with other people
• Some people have no manners.
• Someone should teach you some manners!
• He forgot his manners and reached across the table for the salt.
✦To remember/mind your manners is to behave in a polite and proper way.
• “Mind your manners,” Mom said sternly, “and thank your uncle for the nice gifts.”
- see also table manners
3 [singular] : an artistic style or method
• He painted this picture in his early manner.
- often used in the phrase in/after the manner of
• She wrote after the manner of [=in the style of] her favorite poet.
• This church was built in the manner of the English Gothic style.
all manner of : all kinds or sorts of (things or people)
• The store sells all manner of musical instruments.
• All manner of people come to the city.
in a manner of speaking
- used to say that a statement is true or accurate in a certain way even if it is not literally or completely true
• His retirement was, in a manner of speaking, the beginning of his real career.
• After the storm destroyed their house, they were, in a manner of speaking [=so to speak, as it were], lost at sea. [=they felt lost and confused after their house was destroyed]
not by any manner of means
- see means
to the manner born : suited to a particular position, role, or status in a way that seems very natural
• He had never been on a boat before, but he walked along the deck as if to the manner born.
what manner of old-fashioned + literary : what kind or sort of
• What manner of person could have committed such a crime?
• What manner of woman is she to have done something like that?