Dictionary

mano a mano en · ADJ

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish mano a mano (literally “hand-to-hand”); on equal footing, neither of two participants having any distinct advantage.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) In close confrontation.
   • We sat tensely in the courtroom while the mano-a-mano struggle ensued between the two skilled lawyers.
   • When he finally goes mano a mano with Xavier at the climax, it’s in a psychic battle staged inside the latter’s dreamspace, which happens to look exactly like his mansion. 2016 May 23, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, “Apocalypse pits the strengths of the X-Men series against the weaknesses”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 17 Jun 2017:

Forms

mano a mano en · ADV

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish mano a mano (literally “hand-to-hand”); on equal footing, neither of two participants having any distinct advantage.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Characterized by head-to-head competition or conflict.
   • The newcomer brashly engaged the veteran player mano a mano.
   • Baz: 'BAD NEWS, BUD. I NEVER WANTED TO FIGHTCHA, BUT IF WE WANT OUT, WE GOTTA SCRAP! YOU 'N ME, MANO A MANO.' 2019 December 10, Yacht Club Games, "Story" (Reize), in Shovel Knight Showdown (version 4.1), Nintendo Switch

Forms

mano a mano en · NOUN

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish mano a mano (literally “hand-to-hand”); on equal footing, neither of two participants having any distinct advantage.

Meanings

1. A head-on conflict or direct competition.
   • The public debate became a heated mano a mano between the two leading candidates.
   • Hemingway's subject for the epilogue was the mano a mano (or hand-to-hand, a duel) between Spain's two leading matadors, Luis Miguel Dominguin and his brother-in-law, Antonio Ordonez. 1985 June 9, William Kennedy, “The Last Ole”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 Oct 2020:

Forms

Synonyms

duel

Translations (4)

pl jeden na jednego (a head-on conflict or direct competition; a duel) · pt mano a mano (a head-on conflict or direct competition; a duel) · ru дуэ́ль (a head-on conflict or direct competition; a duel) · es mano a mano (a head-on conflict or direct competition; a duel)