man of letters
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man of letters
n. pl. men of letters
A man who is devoted to literary or scholarly pursuits.
man′ of let′ters
n.
a man engaged in literary pursuits.
[1635–45]
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| Noun | 1. |  man of letters - a man devoted to literary or scholarly activitieshumanist - a classical scholar or student of the liberal arts |
Translations
أديب، من أهل الأدب
spisovatelvědec
bogens mandskribent
rithöfundur; bókamaîur; fræîimaîur
man
(mӕn) – plural men (men) – noun1. an adult male human being. Hundreds of men, women and children; a four-man team.
2. human beings taken as a whole; the human race. the development of man.
3. obviously masculine male person. He's independent, tough, strong, brave – a real man!
4. a word sometimes used in speaking informally or giving commands to someone. Get on with your work, man, and stop complaining!
5. an ordinary soldier, who is not an officer. officers and men.
6. a piece used in playing chess or draughts. I took three of his men in one move.
verb – past tense, past participle manned – to supply with men (especially soldiers). The colonel manned the guns with soldiers from our regiment.
-man (-mən) , (-mӕn) a person (formerly usually used for either sex; currently, often replaced by -person when the person referred to can be of either sex) who performs a particular activity, as in postman, *milkman, *chairman etc.
ˈmanhood noun1. (of a male) the state of being adult, physically (and mentally) mature etc. He died before he reached manhood.
2. manly qualities. He took her refusal to marry him as an insult to his manhood.
manˈkind noun the human race as a whole. He worked for the benefit of all mankind.
ˈmanly adjective having the qualities thought desirable in a man, ie strength, determination, courage etc. He is strong and manly.
ˈmanliness nounmanned adjective
supplied with men. a manned spacecraft.
ˈman-eating adjective which will eat people. a man-eating tiger.
ˈman-eater nounmanˈhandle verb
1. to move, carry etc by hand. When the crane broke down, they had to manhandle the crates on to the boat.
2. to treat roughly. You'll break all the china if you manhandle it like that!
ˈmanhole noun a hole (usually in the middle of a road or pavement) through which someone may go to inspect sewers etc.
ˌman-ˈmade adjective made, happening or formed by man, not by natural means. a man-made lake.
ˈmanpower noun the number of people available for employment etc. There's a shortage of manpower in the building industry.
ˈmanservant – plural ˈmenservants – noun a male servant (especially one employed as a valet). He has only one manservant.
ˈmansize(d) adjective of a size suitable for a man; large. a mansized breakfast.
ˈmanslaughter noun the crime of killing someone, without intending to do so. He was found guilty of manslaughter.
ˈmenfolk noun plural male people, especially male relatives. The wives accompanied their menfolk.
ˈmenswear (ˈmenz-) noun clothing for men. Do you sell menswear?
as one man simultaneously; together. They rose as one man to applaud his speech.
the man in the street the ordinary, typical, average man. The man in the street often has little interest in politics.
man of letters a writer and/or scholar. Shakespeare was perhaps Britain's greatest man of letters.
man of the world a sophisticated man who is not likely to be shocked or surprised by most things. You can speak freely – we're all men of the world.
man to man as one man to another; openly or frankly: They talked man to man about their problems; adjective (etc)a man-to-man discussion.
to a man every one, without exception. They voted to a man to accept the proposal.