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man-to-man

/mæntəˈmæn/
/mæntəˈmæn/
IPA guide

Something man-to-man is straightforward and personal. If your dad has something very important to tell you, he might sit you down for a man-to-man conversation.

You could also describe a man-to-man talk as being "one-on-one" or even "woman-to-woman," since man-to-man obviously excludes anyone who's not male. The term has an implication of extreme honesty: "It might hurt your feelings, but I think it's time for a man-to-man chat about your grades." You can also use man-to-man to mean "player to player," a common sports defense strategy in which every player guards one specific opponent.

Definitions of man-to-man
  1. adjective
    forthright and honest
    “had a man-to-man talk about the facts of life”
    synonyms:
    direct
    straightforward in means or manner or behavior or language or action
  2. adjective
    being a system of play in which an individual defensive player guards an individual offensive player
    synonyms: one-on-one
    individual, single
    being or characteristic of a single thing or person
  3. adverb
    directly
    “we must talk man-to-man
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