Man"u*al (măn"?*al),
a. [OE. manuel, F. manuel, L.
manualis, fr. manus hand; prob. akin to AS. mund
hand, protection, OHG. munt, G. mündel a ward,
vormund guardian, Icel. mund hand. Cf.
Emancipate, Legerdemain, Maintain,
Manage, Manner, Manure, Mound a hill.]
Of or pertaining to the hand; done or made by the hand; as,
manual labor; the king's sign manual.
"Manual and ocular examination." Tatham.
Manual alphabet. See
Dactylology. -- Manual exercise
(Mil.) the exercise by which soldiers are taught the use
of their muskets and other arms. -- Seal
manual, the impression of a seal worn on the hand as a
ring. -- Sign manual. See under
Sign.
Man"u*al (?), n. [Cf. F. manuel,
LL. manuale. See Manual, a.]
1. A small book, such as may be carried in the
hand, or conveniently handled; a handbook; specifically, the service
book of the Roman Catholic Church.
This manual of laws, styled the Confessor's
Laws.
Sir M. Hale.
2. (Mus.) A keyboard of an organ or
harmonium for the fingers, as distinguished from the pedals; a
clavier, or set of keys. Moore (Encyc. of Music).
3. (Mil.) A prescribed exercise in the
systematic handing of a weapon; as, the manual of arms; the
manual of the sword; the manual of the piece (cannon,
mortar, etc.).