manual

plural manuals · alternative obsolete manuall

1. Synonym of handbook.

   Synonyms: handbook

2. 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?

3. governmentA drill in the use of weapons, etc.
4. historicalChristianityAn old office-book like the modern Roman Catholic ritual.
5. entertainmentA keyboard on an organ.

comparative more manual · superlative most manual · alternative obsolete manuall

1. Performed with the hands.

   She gave a wild manual brush to her locks.

   1897 October 16, Henry James, What Maisie Knew, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Herbert S. Stone & Co., →OCLC

   1 more example

   They will be alternately manual workers and officials, so that nobody will become a bureaucrat. Given the simplicity of administration, equality of pay, and the election and removability of public officers, there will be no risk of the formation of a parasitic caste of bureaucrats alienated from society.

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 500

2. device etc.Operated by means of the hands.
3. 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.

plural manuals · alternative obsolete manuall

1. A device that is operated using the hands, or by a human rather than a machine.
   1. countableuncountableautomotiveA manual transmission; a gearbox, especially of a motorized vehicle, shifted by the operator.

      Tom's transmission shop can fix both manuals and automatics.

      Antonyms: automatic

   2. countablemetonymicallyuncountableA vehicle with a manual transmission.

      I'm not used to automatics; I've always driven manuals.

      Antonyms: automatic

   3. countableuncountableentertainmentA keyboard for the hands on a harpsichord, organ, or other musical instrument.
   4. countableuncountableA manual typewriter (as contrasted with an electronic one).
2. A procedure or operation that is done using the hands, or by a human rather than machine.
   1. colloquialcountableuncountablemedicineManual measurement of the blood pressure, done with a manual sphygmomanometer.

      do a manual

      1 more example

      give someone a quick manual

   2. countableuncountableA bicycle technique whereby the front wheel is held aloft by the rider, without the use of pedal force.
   3. countableuncountableA similar maneuver on a skateboard, lifting the front or back wheels while keeping the tail or nose of the board from touching the ground.

      In short tutorials, the player learns the basics of skating: reverts, manuals and the ollie – that is, sliding round when coming out of a trick, lifting two wheels off the ground and jumping with the board.

      2007, Friedrich von Borries, Steffen P. Walz, Matthias Boettger, editors, Space Time Play: Computer Games, Architecture and Urbanism: The Next Level, 1st edition, Basel: Birkhauser, published 2007, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 124

3. uncountableManual control or operation.

   Put the controls to manual.

   1 more example

   Leave the system on manual.

1. A male given name from Spanish: a rare spelling variant of Manuel, sometimes considered erroneous.