manual

[ man-yoo-uh l ]

/ ˈmæn yu əl /

adjective

done, operated, worked, etc., by the hand or hands rather than by an electrical or electronic device: a manual gearshift.

involving or using human effort, skill, power, energy, etc.; physical: manual labor.

of or relating to the hand or hands: manual deformities.

of the nature of a manual or handbook: manual instructions.

noun

a small book, especially one giving information or instructions: a manual of mathematical tables.

a nonelectric or nonelectronic typewriter; a typewriter whose keys and carriage may be powered solely by the typist's hands.

Military. the prescribed drill in handling a rifle: the manual of arms.

Music. a keyboard, especially one of several belonging to a pipe organ.

Automotive. manual transmission.

Nearby words

mantrap, mantua, manu, manu samoa, manua islands, manual, manual alphabet, manual training, manual transmission, manual ventilation, manualism

Origin of manual

1375–1425; < Latin manuālis (adj.), manuāle (noun) (something) that can be held in the hand (manu(s) hand + -ālis, -āle -al¹, -al²); replacing late Middle English manuel < Middle French < Latin, as above

Related forms

man·u·al·ly, adverbnon·man·u·al, adjectivenon·man·u·al·ly, adverbun·man·u·al, adjective

un·man·u·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for manually

For the first year and a half of operation, they bottled only eighty cases per day, manually.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama|Jeff Campagna|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What about allowing a school to manually or "mechanically" restrain students?
Bill Maher Finds the Worst Congressman in America|Ana Marie Cox|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Much of this makes sense since the oil helps to manually remove bacteria and reduce inflammation.
Oil Pulling: Miracle Cure or Oily Mess?|DailyBurn|March 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The firemen found they also had to manually install the pump that would deliver water from the sea.
A Japanese Firefighter Talks Surviving the Nuclear Reactors|Lennox Samuels|April 3, 2011|DAILY BEAST

So they did it manually—unfurling the 164-foot, 220-pound hose and carrying it on their shoulders.
A Japanese Firefighter Talks Surviving the Nuclear Reactors|Lennox Samuels|April 3, 2011|DAILY BEAST
TN: To assure a high quality text, the original was typed in (manually) twice and electronically compared.
A New Voyage to Carolina|John Lawson
And Watson's eagerness for the subject itself made him forget to note whether the work was mechanically or manually executed.
The Blind Spot|Austin Hall
A push button is provided by means of which the keys may be manually released, if desired.
Cyclopedia of Telephony and Telegraphy, Vol. 2|Kempster Miller
Whether the tendons are manually stretched or not, splints should be adjusted to the affected members.
Lameness of the Horse|John Victor Lacroix
The six Sense Switches allow the operator to manually select program options or cause a jump to another program in memory.
Preliminary Specifications: Programmed Data Processor Model Three (PDP-3)|Digital Equipment Corporation

British Dictionary definitions for manually

manual

/ (ˈmænjʊəl) /

adjective

of or relating to a hand or hands

operated or done by handmanual controls

physical, as opposed to mental or mechanicalmanual labour

by human labour rather than automatic or computer-aided means

of, relating to, or resembling a manual

noun

a book, esp of instructions or informationa car manual

music one of the keyboards played by hand on an organ

military the prescribed drill with small arms

Derived Formsmanually, adverb

Word Origin for manual

C15: via Old French from Latin manuālis, from manus hand

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

Word Origin and History for manually (1 of 3)

manually

adv.

late 15c., from manual (adj.) + -ly (2).

Word Origin and History for manually (1 of 3)

manual

early 15c., "service book used by a priest," from Old French manuel "handbook" (also "plow-handle"), from Late Latin manuale "case or cover of a book, handbook," noun use of neuter of Latin manualis (see manual (adj.)). Meaning "a concise handbook" of any sort is from 1530s.

Word Origin and History for manually (2 of 3)

manual

adj.

c.1400, from Latin manualis "of or belonging to the hand; that can be thrown by hand," from manus "hand, strength, power over; armed force; handwriting," from PIE *man- (2) "hand" (cf. Old Norse mund "hand," Old English mund "hand, protection, guardian," German Vormund "guardian," Greek mane "hand").

manual

adjective

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of manual

Examples from the Web for manually

British Dictionary definitions for manually

manual

adjective

noun

Word Origin for manual

Word Origin and History for manually (1 of 3)

manually

Word Origin and History for manually (1 of 3)

manual

Word Origin and History for manually (2 of 3)

manual