mano a mano

[ Spanish mah-naw ah mah-naw; English mah-noh uh mah-noh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural manos a manos

(italics) Spanish. a corrida in which two matadors alternate in fighting two or three bulls each.
a direct confrontation or conflict; head-on competition; duel.

adjective

being or resembling such a confrontation:
a mano a mano struggle in the courtroom between two superb criminal lawyers.

adverb

in direct competition or rivalry:
a brash newcomer in tennis taking on the reigning champion mano a mano.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of mano a mano¹

< Spanish: on an equal footing, without advantage (to either of two contestants); literally, hand to hand

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

That’s not nearly as dramatic as the mano a mano competition on the track, where some races are over in 10 seconds, the winner decided by an eyelash.

From

“It’s you mano a mano,” guard Trey Smith said.

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CEO Zuckerberg - whose social media platforms duke it out daily for advertising dollars - have been trading bluster about going mano a mano.

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“Herschel is a competitor. He’s very comfortable with the mano a mano,” said Scott Paradise, Walker’s campaign manager, noting the candidate’s athletic prowess as a football running back, kickboxer and Olympic bobsledder.

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But in the early stages of a presidential campaign, DeSantis would not be facing Trump mano a mano but rather as one choice among many.

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Manoah manoao

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