Man"ner (?), n. [OE.
manere, F. manière, 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. &fist; 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, or 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.
Hear it pronounced