manhandle

[ man-han-dl, man-han-dl ]
See synonyms for: manhandlemanhandling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),man·han·dled, man·han·dling.
  1. to handle roughly.

  2. to move by human strength, without the use of mechanical appliances.

Origin of manhandle

1
1425–75; late Middle English. See man, handle

Words Nearby manhandle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use manhandle in a sentence

  • Then I shall manhandle you, truss you up like a fowl in the tonneau of your car, and gag you.

    The Valley of the Giants | Peter B. Kyne
  • But it never pays to manhandle that particular brand of tippler.

    Parrot & Co. | Harold MacGrath
  • You're going to open your mouth and tell me what you mean, if I have to manhandle you.

    The Brand of Silence | Harrington Strong
  • You can manhandle me, but you can't make me turn against Sidney Prale.

    The Brand of Silence | Harrington Strong

British Dictionary definitions for manhandle

manhandle

/ (ˈmænˌhændəl, ˌmænˈhændəl) /


verb(tr)
  1. to handle or push (someone) about roughly

  2. to move or do by manpower rather than by machinery

Origin of manhandle

1
C19: from man + handle; sense 1 perhaps also influenced by Devon dialect manangle to mangle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012