- 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.
- These children need to learn some manners.
- Now sit down and eat and mind your manners!
Extra Examples- Didn't your parents teach you any manners?
- Her lack of manners is appalling.
- I disliked him but I knew my manners so I answered his question.
- I'm sorry, I was forgetting my manners. Can I offer you a drink?
- It's not good manners to stare at people.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- impeccable
- perfect
- …
- have
- show
- teach somebody
- …
- have the good manners to do something
- have the manners to do something
- a lack of manners
- …
Definitions on the go
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- [singular] (formal) the way that something is done or happens
- in a… manner She answered in a businesslike manner.
- All claims must be settled in a professional and timely manner.
- The manner in which the decision was announced was extremely regrettable.
- The eye works in a similar manner to a camera.
Extra Examples- Energy bills are calculated in a transparent manner.
- Chemical waste must be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.
- Files have been stored in such a haphazard manner that they are impossible to find.
- He told her in no uncertain manner that her actions were unacceptable.
- He was behaving in a highly suspicious manner.
- I did my best to behave in the appropriate manner.
- She accused the teacher of not acting in a professional manner.
- The authoritative manner in which he talked concealed his ignorance.
- The dispute could have been handled in a more constructive manner.
- You are not approaching the problem in the correct manner.
- Your complaint should be dealt with in an efficient manner.
- He answered in such an off-hand manner that I wondered if he'd misheard me.
- (formal) The cause and manner of death is currently being investigated.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- conventional
- normal
- standard
- …
- have
- adopt
- act in
- …
- change
- suggest something
- in a/the manner
- in the manner of
- in your manner
- …
- in a timely manner
- in no uncertain manner
- [singular] the way that somebody behaves towards other people
- to have an aggressive/a friendly/a relaxed manner
- His manner was polite but cool.
- in a… manner (towards somebody) She behaved in a threatening manner towards her mother.
Extra Examples- He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women.
- Her brusque manner concealed a caring nature.
- His manner changed abruptly when he heard how much I wanted.
- His no-nonsense manner gave him the reputation of being a good doctor.
- There was something in his manner that I found very irritating.
- He was not as loutish as his manner suggested.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- conventional
- normal
- standard
- …
- have
- adopt
- act in
- …
- change
- suggest something
- in a/the manner
- in the manner of
- in your manner
- …
- in a timely manner
- in no uncertain manner
- manners[plural] (formal) the habits and customs of a particular group of people
- the social morals and manners of the seventeenth century
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French maniere, based on Latin manuarius ‘of the hand’, from manus ‘hand’.
Idioms
See manner in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee manner in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishall manner of somebody/something
- many different types of people or things
- The problem can be solved in all manner of ways.
- He enjoyed interacting with all manner of different people.
in the manner of somebody/something
- (formal) in a style that is typical of somebody/something
- a painting in the manner of Raphael
in a manner of speaking
- if you think about it in a particular way; true in some but not all ways
- All these points of view are related, in a manner of speaking.
(as/as if) to the manner born
- (formal) as if something is natural for you and you have done it many times in the past
- She adapted to life on the estate as if to the manner born.
what manner of…
- (formal or literary) what kind of…
- What manner of man could do such a terrible thing?
Check pronunciation:
manner