man-to-man

I

adjective

1. forthright and honest

-

had a man-to-man talk about the facts of life

• Similar to: ↑direct

2. being a system of play in which an individual defensive player guards an individual offensive player

-

one-on-one defense

• Syn: ↑one-on-one

• Similar to: ↑individual, ↑single

• Topics: ↑sport, ↑athletics

II

adverb

directly (Freq. 1)

-

we must talk man-to-man

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man-to-man «MAN tuh MAN», adjective, adverb.

–adj.

1. frank; straightforward; direct.

2. (in team sports) having to do with or denoting a pattern of defense in which one player guards only his opponent, and not a certain zone; man-for-man; man-on-man: »

man-to-man defensive tactics.

–adv.

frankly; in a straightforward manner.

* * *

/ˈmæntəˈmæn/ adj

1 always used before a noun : happening between two men

— used to describe speech between men that is honest, open, and informal

We need to have a man-to-man talk.

a man-to-man discussion

2 chiefly US, sports : of or relating to a way of playing defense in football, basketball, etc., in which each player on the defense is supposed to stop a particular player on the offense

They were playing a man-to-man defense.

man-to-man coverage

man-to-man adv

talking man-to-man

The defense was playing man-to-man.