manifest Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a customs document listing the contents put on a ship or plane
  2. verb provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes
    attest; certify; demonstrate; evidence.
    • His high fever attested to his illness
    • The buildings in Rome manifest a high level of architectural sophistication
    • This decision demonstrates his sense of fairness
  3. verb record in a ship's manifest
    • each passenger must be manifested
  4. verb reveal its presence or make an appearance
    • the ghost manifests each year on the same day
  5. adjective satellite clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
    evident; patent; plain; apparent; unmistakable.
    • the effects of the drought are apparent to anyone who sees the parched fields
    • evident hostility
    • manifest disapproval
    • patent advantages
    • made his meaning plain
    • it is plain that he is no reactionary
    • in plain view

WordNet

Man"i*fest adjective
Etymology
F. manifeste, L. manifestus, lit., struck by the hand, hence, palpable; manus hand + fendere (in comp.) to strike. See Manual, and Defend.
Definitions
  1. Evident to the senses, esp. to the sight; apparent; distinctly perceived; hence, obvious to the understanding; apparent to the mind; easily apprehensible; plain; not obscure or hidden.
    Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. Heb. iv. 13.
    That which may be known of God is manifest in them. Rom. i. 19.
    Thus manifest to sight the god appeared. Dryden.
  2. Detected; convicted; -- with of. R.
    Calistho there stood manifest of shame. Dryden.
    Syn. -- Open; clear; apparent; evident; visible; conspicuous; plain; obvious. -- Manifest, Clear, Plain, Obvious, Evident. What is clear can be seen readily; what is obvious lies directly in our way, and necessarily arrests our attention; what isevident is seen so clearly as to remove doubt; what is manifest is very distinctly evident.
    So clear, so shining, and so evident, That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye. Shak.
    Entertained with solitude, Where obvious duty erwhile appeared unsought. Milton.
    I saw, I saw him manifest in view, His voice, his figure, and his gesture knew. Dryden.
Man"i*fest noun
Etymology
Cf. F. manifeste. See Manifest, a., and cf. Manifesto.
Wordforms
plural Manifests
Definitions
  1. A public declaration; an open statement; a manifesto. See Manifesto. Obs.
  2. A list or invoice of a ship's cargo, containing a description by marks, numbers, etc., of each package of goods, to be exhibited at the customhouse. = ship's manifest Bouvier.
Man"i*fest transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Manifested ; present participle & verbal noun Manifesting
Definitions
  1. To show plainly; to make to appear distinctly, -- usually to the mind; to put beyond question or doubt; to display; to exhibit.
    There is nothing hid which shall not be manifested. Mark iv. 22.
    Thy life did manifest thou lovedst me not. Shak.
  2. To exhibit the manifests or prepared invoices of; to declare at the customhouse. Syn. -- To reveal; declare; evince; make known; disclose; discover; display.

Webster 1913