Third person singular present of 'man', meaning to supply with people or to operate a device or facility.
From Old English 'mann' meaning human being or adult male. The verb form developed in Middle English, originally meaning to supply with men for service, later generalized to mean staffing or operating any position regardless of gender.
Despite its gendered etymology, 'mans' is still commonly used in modern contexts like 'she mans the desk' or 'the crew mans the ship,' showing how language can retain archaic forms even as social attitudes evolve. The word reveals our linguistic history where 'man' was often synonymous with 'person' in occupational contexts.
The verb 'to man' (stations, posts) derives from male-only military/labor traditions; gendered assumption embedded in occupational language throughout 20th century.
Use 'staff,' 'operate,' or 'cover' instead. These are gender-neutral and more precise.
["staff","operate","cover","position"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.