unman

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English

Etymology

From un- (“de-, dis-, away”) +‎ man (“male person”). Compare Dutch ontmannen, German entmannen, both “to unman, emasculate, castrate”.

Pronunciation

Verb

unman (third-person singular simple present unmans, present participle unmanning, simple past and past participle unmanned)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To divest of humanity.
    • 1881, Sir Thomas Browne, William Alexander Greenhill, Religio Medici; Letter to a Friend; Christian Morals, page 215:
      Unman not therefore thy self by a beastial transformation, nor realize old Fables.
  2. (transitive, archaic) To castrate; to remove the manhood of.
    Synonym: emasculate
    • 1906, James George Frazer, Attis, Otis, Osiris, volume 1, page 264:
      He unmanned himself under a pine-tree and bled to death on the spot.
  3. (transitive, figurative) To sap (a person) of the strength, whether physical or emotional, required to deal with a situation.
    Synonym: emasculate
    • 1855, William Delafield Arnold, Oakfield: Or, Fellowship in the East, page 280:
      I hope to God his theories will not unman him in action, that he will not be musing and refining when he should be leading the Jacks […]
    • 1919, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 5, in A Damsel in Distress:
      He dressed moodily, and left the room to go down to breakfast. Breakfast would at least alleviate this sinking feeling which was unmanning him.
  4. (transitive) To deprive of men.

Derived terms

Anagrams

Welsh

Alternative forms

  • unfan (usually in negative contexts)

Etymology

Univerbation of un man (“one place”).

Pronunciation

Noun

unman m (uncountable)

  1. a certain place
  2. (in negative expressions) nowhere, anywhere
    Synonyms: unlle, nunlle
    Does unman yn debyg i adra.
    There is nowhere like home.
    Sa i ’di bod yn unman.
    I haven’t been anywhere.

Usage notes

  • As this is a noun, using it adverbially requires a preposition.
    Es i ddim i unman.
    I didn't go anywhere.
    (literally, “I didn't go to anywhere.”)
    Fues i ddim yn unman.
    I didn't go anywhere.
    (literally, “I wasn't in anywhere.”)

Synonyms

Related terms

References

  1. ^ R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “unman”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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