manling

From man +‎ -ling.

• IPA^(key): /ˈmænlɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ænlɪŋ

manling (plural manlings)

1. A little man; a man of short stature.

   Synonym: mankin

   • 1641, Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries Made Upon Men and Matter‎:

     Again, a man so gracious and in high favour with the Emperor, as Augustus often called him his witty manling (for the littleness of his stature), and, if we may trust antiquity, had designed him for a secretary of estate, and invited him to the palace, which he modestly prayed off and refused.

2. (literary) A young man; a boy.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:boy

   • 1894 May, Rudyard Kipling, “Kaa’s Hunting”, in The Jungle Book, London, New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published June 1894, →OCLC, page 59:

     'Hah!' said Kaa with a chuckle, 'he has friends everywhere, this manling. Stand back, manling; and hide you, O Poison-People. I break down the wall.'

   • 1965, Frank Herbert, Dune, Berkley, published 2005, →ISBN, page 68:

     "Before I do your bidding, manling," Mapes said, "I must cleanse the way between us. [...]

• manlet