man

Senses

1. alternative form of mann

Declension · strong consonant stem

Senses

1. crime, sin, wickedness

Declension · strong a-stem

Senses

1. one, you (indefinite pronoun; construed as a third-person singular)

   Man sċeal lǣwedum mannum seċġan be heora andġietes mǣðe, swā þæt hīe ne bēon þurh þā dēopnesse ǣmōde ne þurh þā langsumnesse ǣþrȳtte.

   One has to talk to laymen according to how much they understand, so they are not intimidated by the depth of what one is saying or bored by the length.

   c. 992, Ælfric, "The First Sunday in September, When Job Is Read"

2. they, people (people in general)

3. someone, somebody (some unspecified person)

   Ġif dēaþsċyldiġ man sċriftsprǣċe ġierne, ne him man nǣfre ne wierne.

   If someone condemned to death desires confession, it should never be refused to them.

   c. 1005, Wulfstan, Laws of Edward and Guthrum:

4. they (some unspecified group of people)

   Saga mē, hū lange worhte man Noes earce?

   Tell me, how long were they making Noe's ark?

   The Dialogues of Solomon and Saturn

5. often used where modern English would use the passive voice

   Hine man sċeal lǣdan tō þām lǣċe.

   He should be taken to the doctor.

   late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Boethius' The Consolation of Philosophy

6. it

   Man ġeseah swelċe sē heofon burne.

   It looked like the sky was on fire.

   c. 900, translation of Orosius' History Against the Pagans