Man"ner (?), n. [OE. manere, F. maniere, from OF. manier, adj., manual, skillful, handy, fr. (assumed) LL. manarius, for L. manuarius belonging to the hand, fr. manus the hand. See Manual.] 1. Mode of action; way of performing or effecting anything; method; style; form; fashion.
The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land.
2 Kings xvii. 26.
The temptations of prosperity insinuate themselves after a gentle, but very powerful,manner.
Atterbury.
2. Characteristic mode of acting, conducting, carrying one's self, or the like; bearing; habitual style.
Specifically: (a) Customary method of acting; habit .
Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them.
Acts xvii. 2.
Air and manner are more expressive than words.
Richardson.
(b) pl. Carriage; behavior; deportment; also, becoming behavior; well-bred carriage and address .
Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.
Emerson.
(c) The style of writing or thought of an author; characteristic peculiarity of an artist .
3. Certain degree or measure; as, it is in a manner done already.
The bread is in a manner common.
1 Sam. xxi.5.
4. Sort; kind; style; -- in this application sometimes having the sense of a plural, sorts or kinds.
Ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs.
Luke xi. 42.
I bid thee say,
What manner of man art thou?
Coleridge.
⇒ In old usage, of was often omitted after manner, when employed in this sense. "A manner Latin corrupt was her speech."
Chaucer.
By any manner of means, in any way possible; by any sort of means. -- To be taken in, ∨ with the manner. [A corruption of to be taken in the mainor. See Mainor.] To be taken in the very act. [Obs.] See Mainor. -- To make one's manners, to make a bow or courtesy; to offer salutation. -- Manners bit, a portion left in a dish for the sake of good manners. Hallwell.
Syn. -- Method; mode; custom; habit; fashion; air; look; mien; aspect; appearance. See Method.
© Webster 1913. | 
