manualEnglishOxford American Thesaurusmanual adjective 1 manual work: done with one's hands, laboring, physical, blue-collar. 2 a manual typewriter: hand-operated, hand, nonautomatic. ▷antonyms automatic, mechanical.noun a training manual: handbook, set of instructions, instructions, instruction book, guide, companion, reference book, ABC, guidebook; Latin vade mecum; informal bible; rare enchiridion.